Police Shift Sonam Wangchuk to Safdarjung Hospital on Day 21 of Hunger Strike

On July 18, 2026, Delhi Police shifted climate activist Sonam Wangchuk from his protest site at Jantar Mantar to VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital on the 21st day of his indefinite hunger strike. The action, which followed a Delhi High Court directive to closely monitor Wangchuk's health, sparked intense protests and allegations of police force at the site.

Wangchuk has been on an indefinite fast demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged nationwide examination irregularities, including the NEET paper leak. According to medical professionals, Wangchuk has entered the critical third stage of prolonged fasting, raising concerns about potential organ involvement. He was reported to be weak and dehydrated but stable under medical supervision in the emergency ward.

The transfer triggered immediate unrest at Jantar Mantar. Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janata Party, claimed that Wangchuk was dragged away against his will. Party spokesperson Saurav Das alleged that police detained activists and lathicharged students.

Delhi Police denied the allegations of violence, stating that only a minor commotion occurred and that officers exercised restraint. However, political leaders strongly condemned the police action. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bharadwaj alleged that police personnel in plain clothes entered the site and used white bed-sheets to block camera views to hide the manhandling of protesters.

Other opposition figures, including AAP's Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, Trinamool Congress leader Sagarika Ghose, and Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav, criticized the move, calling it an assault on democracy. Meanwhile, Wangchuk's wife stated that she forbids any medical treatment for him without her consent.

Following the hospitalisation, Delhi Police began removing the remaining protesters from Jantar Mantar, deploying a heavy contingent of personnel to clear the area.