Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk was arrested by Ladakh police on Friday, two days after protests in Leh against non-inclusion of the union territory under the sixth schedule went out of control.

Wangchuk had planned to speak at a press conference at 2.30 pm on Friday, but was arrested beforehand. The climate activist and innovator had been leading a campaign demanding full statehood for Ladakh and recognition under the sixth schedule to safeguard tribal rights.

The protest on Wednesday turned violent, causing four deaths and leaving many others injured.

Wangchuk was arrested by a Ladakh police team led by DGP S D Singh Jamwal. Internet services in Leh were suspended after the violence, and the charges against him were not immediately detailed.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs held Wangchuk responsible for the unrest in Leh, saying in a statement that it was incited by his “provocative statements”. The activist rejected the allegation, denounced the violence, and ended his 15-day hunger strike on Wednesday following the clashes.

On Thursday, the ministry also revoked the FCRA licence of the Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh, an NGO founded by Wangchuk, citing “financial irregularities”. The activist dismissed those charges too, calling the investigations by the CBI and the MHA a “witch hunt”.

The Apex Body Leh, which is spearheading the statehood agitation, said on Friday that their campaign has been peaceful and that the violence on September 24 broke out when a section of the youth lost control.

The group denied that Sonam Wangchuk had any role in the violence during his hunger strike.

"Our movement will be peaceful and nonviolent to disseminate this, we started prayers of all the religions. When Sonam Wangchuk started the Hunger Strike, a few people were there. We used to call people from villages. We called for a Leh Bandh on September 24," PTI quoted a member of the Apex Body Leh as saying.

"Before that, on September 23, two people who were in the protest were admitted to the hospital. Getting to know this a huge mob of youth came to the hospital. On the day of the bandh, more people than we expected poured in at the site of the strike. A large part of the people were youth that day," he said.

The Apex Body member said that even after senior leaders tried to stop them, some protestors went ahead and vandalised the BJP office.

"After this, the Youth became uncontrollable; they wanted to protest outside, but we stopped them. Our senior leaders also ordered them to stop. They didn't listen to that. They started protesting and went to the BJP office and vandalised," he said.