The Delhi Police on Sunday detained several protesters and removed climate activist Sonam Wangchuk from outside Ladakh Bhavan.
“The city police removed Sonam Wangchuk from the protest site,” Jigmat Paljor, coordinator, Apex Body, Leh, told The Statesman.
A senior police official said the protesters who were detained were taken to Mandir Marg police station and were later released.
“The protesters did not have permission to protest near Ladakh Bhawan as a result of which they were detained,” he said.
Wangchuk and his supporters had sought permission for demonstrating at Jantar Mantar, but their application was under consideration, the official added.
The climate activist, in a video message, said it is becoming difficult to stage peaceful demonstrations near Ladakh Bhawan as the police are detaining people and the whole area has been turned into a fortress with heavy police deployment.
“In the mother of Democracy, people on a day’s silent fast on Ekadasi are being forcefully removed and detained,” he added.
Wangchuk has been leading the ‘Delhi Chalo Padyatra’, which began in Leh last month, advocating for the restoration of democracy through statehood and protections under Schedule 6 of the Constitution.
Earlier, Wangchuk, along with his supporters, was detained by the Delhi Police at the Delhi-Haryana Singhu border while they were en route to Rajghat. They, however, were released on October 2.