Leh, 26 Sept

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk was arrested Friday by a police party here, two days after violent protests by supporters of the movement for statehood and extension of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution left four people dead and 90 others injured, officials said.

Wangchuk was taken into custody by the police party led by Ladakh DGP SD Singh Jamwal at 2.30pm, the officials said.

It was not immediately clear about the charges which were pressed against Wangchuk.

The home ministry had blamed Wangchuk, a senior member of the Leh Apex Body (LAB), which, along with the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), is spearheading the agitation in support of the demands for the past five years, for provocation leading to the violence.

Wangchuk, who was leading a hunger strike in support of the demands, however, denied the charges. He denounced the violence and also ended the fortnight-long fast following the violence on Wednesday.