Sonam Wangchuk to lead 20-km march and martyr’s day ceremony marking Ladakh protest anniversary

Sonam Wangchuk will lead a symbolic 20-km march on Sep 23, with a martyr’s day event planned for Sep 24 to mark the one-year anniversary of the police firing that left four civilians dead. The march aims to press for constitutional protection of Ladakh’s tribal character through inclusion in the Sixth Schedule and for proper compensation to the victims’ families. Ladakh’s administration has announced ₹15 lakh for each of the four families and ₹3 lakh for the injured, a figure Wangchuk called inadequate.

Wangchuk, who spent six months in detention under the National Security Act, was released in March to enable dialogue with stakeholders. Talks with the Union Home Ministry have so far produced no draft proposal for safeguards or an elected governance model, despite a committee headed by Nityanand Rai and the creation of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils approved by Lieutenant-Governor VK Saxena. Leaders expressed frustration over the government’s delays, with a draft expected by October.