Sonam Wangchuk Under Constant Medical Watch at Safdarjung After 20-Day Fast; Protest Continues Despite Hospitalisation
Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk is under continuous medical observation at Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital after being brought there from Jantar Mantar, where he had been on an indefinite hunger strike for nearly three weeks. The hospital said Wangchuk was admitted on Saturday morning and is currently stable, but doctors are closely monitoring his condition because of weakness and dehydration caused by prolonged fasting.
In its official update, the hospital said Wangchuk was admitted around 7:40 am for the medical care he required after the long fast. Doctors stated that while his condition is stable at present, he needs ongoing observation and treatment to restore his body parameters.
The hospital's statement came shortly after Delhi Police shifted Wangchuk from the protest site. Police said the decision was taken on expert medical advice and in compliance with directions issued earlier by the Delhi High Court, which had asked authorities to regularly assess his health and ensure timely medical intervention if needed.
Wangchuk had been fasting since June 28 in support of a protest demanding accountability over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak, a judicial inquiry into examination-related irregularities, and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The police operation at Jantar Mantar briefly triggered tension among protesters. Demonstrators alleged that Wangchuk was forcibly removed, while police maintained that the transfer was carried out with restraint despite resistance from some protesters. Videos from the site showed police personnel surrounding Wangchuk before taking him to an ambulance parked outside the protest venue.
After the hospitalisation, Wangchuk's wife Gitanjali J Angmo appealed to the hospital not to administer anything orally or intravenously without the consent of the family and the doctors who had been monitoring his health during the hunger strike. She also questioned why he needed to be hospitalised, saying he had appeared stable the previous day.
Meanwhile, the agitation has continued despite Wangchuk's removal from the protest site. Cockroach Janata Party founder Abhijit Dipke announced that he would continue the indefinite hunger strike. He also alleged that he was assaulted and briefly detained during the police operation, a claim denied by Delhi Police.
Student activists associated with the protest, including AISA members Neha, Aameen and Manish, have also continued their fast at Jantar Mantar.
With Wangchuk now under medical supervision, attention is likely to remain focused both on his recovery and on the future course of the agitation, which organisers have indicated will continue despite his hospitalisation.
