A 25-year-old woman whose angry confrontation with security personnel during a road closure in Ladakh went viral has apologised to the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and Ladakh Police, saying she lost her temper after being stranded for hours without being told when the road would reopen.
Speaking exclusively to NDTV’s Shiv Aroor for the first time since the video sparked a social media storm, the woman said she deeply regretted her remarks and never intended to insult the armed forces or gain publicity from the incident.
#NDTVExclusive | Why have you used the phrase "We are Gen Z"?
— NDTV (@ndtv) August 20, 2026
Hear it from the woman in viral video.@ShivAroor pic.twitter.com/z38PGin5xV
“I respect the Indian Army so much. I could never dream that they would feel bad because of something I said,” she said, explaining that she and her group were travelling from Ladakh towards Delhi when they encountered the security restriction.
According to her account, the group had already waited for three to four hours when they asked a soldier how much longer they would have to remain there. They were reportedly told that another hour was needed.
That hour passed, but the road remained shut.
Ladakh Police has said the video was recorded around Kargil Vijay Diwas on July 26, when the road was temporarily closed as part of security arrangements. The incident took place near the Minimarg check post in the Dras area, amid restrictions on movement along the Minimarg-Zoji La-Sonamarg route.
As the wait stretched on, more travellers gathered and tensions rose. The viral video showed the woman confronting security personnel and questioning why certain people, including a minister, appeared to have been allowed through while other travellers remained stranded.
“We are Gen Z. We will not tolerate this nonsense,” she was heard saying in the video, while urging other travellers to join her in protesting the road closure.
She also questioned why tourists had to remain stuck for hours and complained that there was nobody available to explain the situation or take responsibility for the delay.
However, in her exclusive conversation with NDTV, the woman offered a fuller account of what happened before the confrontation captured on camera.
She said that after another hour had passed, taking their total waiting time to around six hours, they heard shouting further ahead. According to her, she was told that a confrontation had broken out between members of the public, police and Army personnel.
The group moved forward to see what was happening, and she said she eventually found herself in the middle of the situation.
“I am a patient and I’m having a lot of problems. We’ve been stuck for six hours, unable to use the washroom or do anything because of your VIP movement,” she recalled telling those present.
She acknowledged, however, that frustration did not justify the language she used.
“Whatever I said in frustration was not right at all. It was very wrong,” she said.
The woman also said the viral video had taken a heavy emotional toll on her. She claimed she had no idea the footage would spread so widely or attract such intense criticism.
“But that thing was shown in such a negative way that I went into depression,” she said.
Calling herself “a normal girl” who had no intention of becoming famous through the incident, she used the NDTV interview to issue another public apology.
“I am again apologising to all the people of the country, to the Indian Army, to the J&K Police, to the Ladakh Police and especially to Omar Abdullah. I am very ashamed that so many people were hurt because of me,” she said.
The phrase “We are Gen Z”, which became one of the most widely discussed parts of the video, also came up during the interview.
Asked why she invoked Gen Z during the confrontation, the woman said the words were spontaneous and came amid pressure from other travellers who were standing behind her.
She claimed some people had been telling her that such road closures happened frequently and that locals faced similar problems.
“I don’t know where that phrase came from,” she said, adding that she did not intend to make any broader statement about Gen Z protests or movements.
The controversy began with a short viral clip that presented a heated confrontation between a young tourist and security personnel. Her latest account provides additional context about the prolonged wait and the circumstances that preceded the outburst, while also making clear that she now accepts that her remarks crossed a line.
Her apology comes a day after intense criticism over the video, particularly her remarks directed at security personnel and her invocation of the “Gen Z” label during the confrontation.
