Hunger strike Day 21: Police shift Sonam Wangchuk to hospital

Soon after dawn on Saturday morning, police swooped on Sonam Wangchuk’s protest at Jantar Mantar, breaking up the hunger strike that had entered its 21st day and begun to gain visible political traction this week.

The action came the day after a new Commissioner took charge of the Delhi Police and two days before the Monsoon Session beginning on Monday, when Wangchuk and the activist platform Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) had planned a march to Parliament.

#WATCH | Delhi: Activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was sitting on a hunger strike from last 20 days at Jantar Mantar, taken to the hospital by the police.

More details awaited. pic.twitter.com/81DTO3cyh4

— ANI (@ANI) July 18, 2026

Wangchuk had been on a hunger strike since June 28, demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak.

Dipke later announced that he would begin an indefinite hunger strike. “They thought the andolan (movement) would lose steam without Sonam sir. Now, instead of him, I will sit on an indefinite hunger strike,” he said.

On Wednesday, the Delhi High Court had directed the Centre to ensure that Wangchuk’s health was monitored on a daily basis by government doctors, and to “intervene depending on the medical report”.

Wangchuk was taken to Safdarjung hospital from the protest site and put under medical supervision.

 

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In an official bulletin issued at 9 pm, the hospital said he had declined intravenous fluids, oral rehydration solution and all medications despite repeated counselling.

“Shri Sonam Wangchuk… remains conscious and haemodynamically stable. His pulse, blood pressure and oxygen saturation are currently within normal limits. However, he is exhibiting clinical signs of dehydration, and in view of his prolonged fasting, his condition warrants immediate medical intervention to prevent further deterioration and potentially serious complications.”

As per orders of Hon’ble High Court and on expert medical advise due to the deteriorating health condition of Sh. Sonam Wangchuk, he has been shifted to the hospital for essential medical care.
While complying with the orders of Hon’ble High Court the protestors tried to create…

— DCP New Delhi (@DCPNewDelhi) July 18, 2026

It added that the patient’s family has also not yet provided consent for the recommended medical intervention.

According to the statement, “An independent expert from AIIMS, New Delhi, examined the patient and concurred with the treating team’s assessment that immediate oral/intravenous fluid and electrolyte therapy is medically indicated. An AIIMS doctor has also joined the treating team and will remain continuously available for monitoring and clinical management.”

Wangchuk’s wife Gitanjali Angmo said that doctors who had been attending to the activist through the period of his fast had been denied access to him, and demanded that he be allowed to go to a medical facility of his choice.

Soon after Wangchuk was taken to hospital, Delhi Police posted on its official X handle that it had acted “as per orders of Hon’ble High Court and on expert medical advice due to the deteriorating health condition” of the activist.

Police said protesters had “tried to create obstruction, in which slight commotion ensued”, but police had acted with “maximum restraint”. “We request the protesters at Jantar Mantar to peacefully vacate the place at the earliest,” the statement said.

The operation to take away Wangchuk began around 3 am on Saturday — a little more than 12 hours after Anurag Kumar assumed charge as Delhi Police Commissioner.

ये क्या गुंडागर्दी चल रही है?
मोदी जी ये सत्ता का अहंकार लंबे समय तक नही चलता।
जिस युवा पर लठ्ठ चला रहे हो, यही आपका तख़्त उखाड़ेगा।
एक शख़्स @Wangchuk66 जो पिछले 21 दिनों से आमरण अनशन पर है, उनकी माँगें सुनने के बजाय उसको जबरन गिरफ़्तार करके हॉस्पिटल में भर्ती करा दिया गया। https://t.co/N6cuofEYhD

— Sanjay Singh AAP (@SanjayAzadSln) July 18, 2026

Kumar’s predecessor Satish Golchha had been removed by a sudden order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs earlier in the morning, reportedly for reasons that included his handling of the protest by the CJP.

Sources said on Friday, around 11 pm, a message was sent to all station house officers (SHOs) of the New Delhi district that a security drill before the Monsoon Session would be held on Saturday morning. They were asked to reach Parliament Street police station by 3 am, with 10 police personnel.

What sort of shocking coercive state violence is this? The morally bankrupt @narendramodi regime only knows how to use the danda. UNACCEPTABLE https://t.co/TMdI2htVX1

— Sagarika Ghose (@sagarikaghose) July 18, 2026

Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav described the police action as an assault on democracy.

सोनम वांगचुक जी को जबरन हटाना सिर्फ एक कार्रवाई नहीं, बल्कि लोकतंत्र और संविधान को कुचलना है।
भाजपा सरकार को अब शांतिपूर्ण विरोध भी बर्दाश्त नहीं – यह तानाशाही है।

— Dimple Yadav (@dimpleyadav) July 18, 2026

“They were briefed by DCP (New Delhi district) Sachin Sharma. They were informed that they were there to execute a plan to remove Wangchuk from the protest site. They were to wait for Dipke’s movement and remove Wangchuk in 30 seconds… Some of them were asked to wear T-shirts and track pants, posing as medical assistance. They were to park one ambulance near Kerala House in Jantar Mantar,” a source said.

Sources said soon after taking charge, Commissioner Kumar had met with officers of the rank of special commissioner to work out strategy. “The meeting discussed the known daily routine of the protesters, and zeroed in on a window when CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke usually went to a nearby restroom. It was decided to pick up Wangchuk in that window,” a source said.

Dipke left the venue around 6.30 am, and the police moved in. A phone jammer was activated in the Jantar Mantar area.

Then, a large white cloth was hung across the stage and the action began. “Within two minutes, inspectors and police personnel, wearing T-shirts and track pants, entered near the stage… and carried away Wangchuk,” a source said.