On 24 September 2025, violent protests erupted in Leh, Ladakh, demanding statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. The demonstrations escalated when protesters clashed with police, leading to the deaths of at least four individuals and injuries to over 70 others. In response, authorities imposed a curfew and restricted internet access in the region. Prominent activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had been leading hunger strikes advocating for these demands, was arrested on 26 September 2025 under the National Security Act and transferred to Jodhpur Jail. The situation remains tense, with ongoing calls for the government to address the region’s grievances and grant greater autonomy to Ladakh (here, here, and here).
In this context, a video is circulating on social media (here, here) claiming to show Ladakh Director General of Police (DGP) Dr. S.D. Singh stated that no evidence was found against Sonam Wangchuk, yet he was arrested on the orders of the Indian Defence Minister, and he is apologising to the people of Kashmir. Let’s verify the claim made in the post in this article.
Claim: The video shows Ladakh DGP Dr. S.D. Singh saying Sonam Wangchuk was arrested on the orders of the Defence Minister despite no evidence and apologising to the people of Kashmir.
Fact: The viral video is digitally altered. Ladakh DGP Dr. S.D. Singh neither said Sonam Wangchuk was arrested on the orders of the Defence Minister despite no evidence, nor did he apologise to the people of Kashmir. The audio has been manipulated using AI, and the Hiya AI voice detection tool flagged it as a deepfake. PIB Fact Check has also confirmed that the video is digitally altered and that the DGP made no such statement. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
We noticed that the viral video bears the TNIE (The New Indian Express) logo. Using this as a clue, we searched online with relevant keywords and found an extended version on The New Indian Express’s YouTube channel, published on 27 September 2025, titled “Ladakh DGP explains reason for Wangchuk’s arrest, defends police firing at protestors.”
Upon reviewing the video, we found that the viral clip is taken from the 2:17-minute mark, where the DGP’s expression matches that in the viral video. At that time, he was discussing reservations for locals in the Ladakh Union Territory. Nowhere in the press conference did he claim that Sonam Wangchuk was arrested on the orders of the Defence Minister despite no evidence or apologise to the people of Kashmir. Instead, he spoke about the 24 September 2025 Leh protests, which resulted in four civilian deaths and around 70–80 injuries, and Sonam Wangchuk’s arrest.
Suspecting the video to be AI-generated, we analysed it using the Hiya voice detection tool, which flagged the audio in the viral video as a deepfake.
Additionally, we came across an X post by PIB Fact Check, dated 30 September 2025, debunking the viral video. It stated that a digitally altered video of Ladakh DGP Dr. S.D. Singh is circulating on social media, falsely showing him claiming that Sonam Wangchuk was arrested on the orders of the Defence Minister without any evidence. The DGP has made no such statement. PIB Fact Check warned that such AI-generated videos are intended to mislead the public and cause confusion. Users are advised to stay vigilant, verify content before sharing, and help prevent the spread of misinformation.
To sum up, this video of Ladakh DGP Dr. S.D. Singh, stating that Sonam Wangchuk was arrested on the Defence Minister’s orders and apologising to the people of Kashmir, is fake.
