Police shift Sonam Wangchuk to hospital; Dipke begins hunger strike as Opposition criticises government

PTI, July 18, 2026, New Delhi : Citing medical advice and Delhi High Court directions, police shifted activist Sonam Wangchuk to Safdarjung Hospital on Saturday morning on the 21st day of his hunger strike at Jantar Mantar, drawing sharp condemnation from Opposition parties, which accused the government of curbing dissent.

Ignoring the police's call to leave the protest site, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) escalated its agitation over the NEET paper leak issue, with its founder, Abhijeet Dipke, announcing an indefinite hunger strike soon after the police action.

The outfit, which has been pressing for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's removal, demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's resignation and vowed to press ahead with its planned march to Parliament on July 20.

Hospital authorities issued a bulletin at 3.30 pm, saying Wangchuk, 59, has refused intravenous fluids, oral rehydration solution and other medications despite signs of dehydration and metabolic abnormalities.

He is being continuously monitored and counselled to accept treatment in the interest of his health, they said.

Shortly after his hospitalisation, Wangchuk's wife, Gitanjali J. Angmo, asked the hospital not to administer any treatment without her consent, alleging a lack of transparency in his medical care.

The CJP later said on X that Wangchuk has "not broken" his hunger strike and that he will continue it from the hospital.

Dramatic scenes unfolded at around 7 am as a large contingent of police personnel, many in plain clothes, descended on the protest site barely 2-3 kilometres from Parliament House, with paramilitary personnel forming a cordon around the stage where a visibly frail Wangchuk was resting.

Using white sheets as a screen, the police personnel approached Wangchuk as chaos erupted in the background, with some protesters jostling with security personnel to approach the activist, who was lifted and carried to an ambulance.

According to eyewitnesses, the number of protesters was relatively low in the morning when the police arrived, and Dipke was not present as he had gone to freshen up.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Sachin Sharma told PTI that Wangchuk was hospitalised in accordance with the Delhi High Court's directions after his health worsened and was receiving the required medical intervention.

In a statement, Delhi Police said that Wangchuk was shifted for "essential medical care" following expert medical advice and in compliance with the High Court's orders.

Some protesters tried to obstruct the exercise, leading to a brief commotion, but police personnel exercised maximum restraint and completed the operation successfully, it said.

The police also appealed to the protesters to peacefully vacate the protest site at the earliest.

At the Jantar Mantar site, security was stepped up and protesters gradually started to regroup.

Dipke broke down on the stage and his associates consoled him.

While he was addressing a gathering hours later, a woman hurled an ink-like liquid at Dipke and was detained. She was identified by police as men's rights activist Barkha Trehan.

"I have been beaten up and put under detention by Delhi Police," Dipke said in a post on X.

Dipke said he had gone to a friend's house to freshen up and alleged he was beaten by police and detained for some time.

He called for protests across the country against the police action.

In a post on X, the CJP shared a video of Wangchuk being removed from the protest site in a white sheet.

"A frail old man, after 20 days of a hunger strike, was picked up, wrapped in white sheets and taken away by Delhi Police. This is a national shame," the CJP said.

AISA members Neha, Aameen and Manish, however, continued their hunger strike at the protest site on the 21st day.

According to AISA, protesters formed a human chain around them and stopped the police from forcefully removing the three hunger strikers.

Wangchuk and the three AISA activists have been on an indefinite hunger strike since June 28 in support of the CJP-led protest over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination and the reported deaths of students linked to the controversy.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said the action against a person on a non-violent hunger strike was wrong and accused the government of relying on "Asatya and Hinsa" (falsehood and violence).

Opposition parties united in condemning the action and accused the government of undermining democratic freedoms, curbing dissent and choosing force over dialogue.

NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, DMK MP Kanimozhi and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee also criticised the government and said it should engage in dialogue with the protesters.

"What a shame! The world watches democracy in India being broken by force, shamelessly," Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray said in a post on X.

CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat alleged that the action was an attempt to "bulldoze democratic and constitutional values" and undermine accountability.