New Delhi: A 25-year-old woman whose angry confrontation with security personnel during a road closure in Ladakh went viral on social media has apologised to the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and Ladakh Police, saying she made the remarks out of frustration after being stuck on the road for several hours.
Speaking to NDTV, the woman said she had been travelling from Ladakh to Delhi when their journey was halted because of a security-related road closure. According to her, the group had already waited for three to four hours before being told they would have to wait another hour.
The incident reportedly took place around Kargil Vijay Diwas on July 26 near the Minimarg check post in the Dras area. The Minimarg-Zoji La-Sonamarg road had been temporarily restricted for security reasons, according to Ladakh Police.
A video from the incident showed the woman confronting security personnel and questioning why some people, including a minister, had allegedly been allowed to pass while other travellers remained stranded.
“We are Gen Z. We will not tolerate this nonsense,” she was heard saying in the viral clip, while urging other travellers to protest.
She also questioned the lack of information and accountability at the site, saying the travellers had been waiting for hours without being given a clear explanation for the closure.
However, the woman later said the viral clip did not capture the full circumstances surrounding the confrontation. She claimed that after waiting for nearly six hours, the travellers heard that an altercation had broken out further ahead between members of the public, police and security personnel.
She said she moved forward and became involved in the situation, telling security personnel that she was unwell and was struggling after being stuck for hours without access to basic facilities.
The woman admitted that some of the language she used during the confrontation was inappropriate.
“Whatever I said in frustration was not right at all. It was very wrong,” she said.
Addressing the backlash following the video's circulation, she said she had never intended to insult the armed forces or gain popularity from the incident.
“I respect the Indian Army so much. I could never dream that they would feel bad because of something I said,” she said.
The phrase “We are Gen Z” also became a major talking point after the video went viral. Asked about it, the woman said she had used the phrase spontaneously after people around her began discussing similar experiences of being stopped during travel.
She said she had not intended to make any broader statement about Gen Z protests or use the phrase as a political slogan.
The woman also apologised to the people of the country, the Army, J&K Police, Ladakh Police and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
“I am very ashamed that so many people were hurt because of me,” she said, adding that the intense online backlash had deeply affected her.
Source: NDTV