Police Forcibly Hospitalize Sonam Wangchuk After 21-Day Hunger Strike

Delhi Police forcibly removed climate activist Sonam Wangchuk from the Jantar Mantar protest site on July 18, 2026, transporting him to Safdarjung Hospital. Wangchuk had been on an indefinite hunger strike since June 28 to demand the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan following alleged paper leaks and irregularities in the NEET-UG 2026 examinations. The removal followed a Delhi High Court order for daily medical monitoring as Wangchuk's health deteriorated, with reports of a 9.5 kg weight loss and potential organ failure.

The operation, described by police as a necessary medical intervention, was condemned by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and opposition leaders as a "forcible abduction." Protesters alleged that police used plainclothes officers and white bedsheets to hide the manhandling of Wangchuk from cameras. In response, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke launched his own indefinite hunger strike and expanded the movement's demands to include the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Opposition figures, including Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal, and Mallikarjun Kharge, characterized the police action as an assault on democracy and a sign of government authoritarianism. Despite the hospitalization, Wangchuk's family asserts he continues to refuse medication and electrolytes. The CJP maintains that its "Chalo Sansad" march to Parliament will proceed on July 20, coinciding with the start of the Monsoon Session, though police have indicated that permission for the rally is unlikely to be granted.