Indian police forcibly hospitalise activist Sonam Wangchuk after hunger strike

Indian police forcibly hospitalise activist Sonam Wangchuk after hunger strike

Indian police forcibly removed activist Sonam Wangchuk from a protest site in New Delhi on Saturday, July 18, 2026, and transported him to a hospital after 20 days of a hunger strike. Authorities stated the 59-year-old was moved to Safdarjung Hospital following expert medical advice and a directive from the High Court due to his deteriorating health.

Wangchuk, an engineer known for water conservation projects in the Himalayas, began his fast on June 28. His strike served as a focal point for the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a youth-led movement demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged corruption and irregularities in the national examination system.

The removal occurred amid confusion and commotion at Jantar Mantar, a park containing 18th-century astronomical devices. Video footage showed police using white sheets to hurriedly move Wangchuk from his stage. While Delhi Police described the event as a slight commotion resulting from protesters attempting to create obstructions, supporters offered a different account. The CJP claimed on social media that the government forcefully abducted Wangchuk without consent, and founder Abhijeet Dipke alleged the activist was kidnapped by the police like criminals and goons.

The legal basis for the intervention stems from a Thursday High Court order. Following a petition by lawyer Rakesh Kumar Saini warning that Wangchuk might not survive, the court ordered government doctors to monitor his health daily, stating the life of any citizen is precious and that necessary medical intervention to save his life should be performed.

At Safdarjung Hospital, doctors reported that Wangchuk is conscious with stable vital signs. His wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, confirmed she was with him and stated that while he is alert, he is weak and losing muscle mass. She insisted that no medical treatment be administered orally or intravenously without the consent of the family and monitoring doctors.

The "Cockroach" Movement

The CJP emerged in May after Supreme Court Chief Justice Surya Kant likened some unemployed youth to cockroaches during a hearing. Young Indians adopted the insult as an ironic badge of resilience, fueling a satirical online campaign that gained more than 21 million Instagram followers within days. The movement transitioned from memes to physical protests at Jantar Mantar as students expressed outrage over the education system.

Central to the anger is the cancellation of a medical entrance exam in May after questions were leaked. This forced approximately 2.2 million aspiring doctors to retake the test last month under heavy security. The government temporarily banned Telegram to stop further leaks. The fallout from the exam failure, combined with a separate marking fiasco in high school tests, has been linked to the suicides of more than a dozen students. The CJP is demanding an overhaul of the examination system and compensation for the families of those students.

Shortly before his hospitalization, Wangchuk wrote on X: Smaller Movements have brought down many governments in India… & Here it is about education.

Security and Escalation

The police operation followed the July 17 appointment of Anurag Kumar, former special director of the Intelligence Bureau, as the new commissioner of Delhi Police.

Authorities have since deployed additional police and paramilitary personnel, erecting barricades around both the hospital and Jantar Mantar. Police characterized these measures as precautionary and urged protesters to vacate the park.

The tension is expected to rise further as the Indian parliament is scheduled to begin its session on Monday. The CJP has announced plans to march to Parliament, and founder Abhijeet Dipke has pledged to begin his own indefinite hunger strike in response to Wangchuk's removal.