Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party, was hospitalized after fainting during a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi [1].
The incident highlights growing tensions between student activists and law enforcement over education policies and the right to protest in the capital.
Dipke was protesting against the NEET-related education policy [3]. His health deteriorated after a hunger strike lasting 20 days [1]. On Saturday, July 20, 2026, police took Dipke into custody and forcibly hospitalized him after he fainted [1, 2].
A Delhi Police spokesperson said, "We acted in accordance with the law to ensure his health" [1].
The movement later clarified the nature of his removal from the protest site. In a statement released on Monday, July 22, 2024, the Cockroach Janta Party said, "We are not in detention or arrest" [2].
Beyond the medical emergency, the protest site became a point of contention regarding surveillance. Delhi Police urged protesters to present their Aadhaar cards for identification checks [3]. Dipke questioned the necessity of these requirements, asking, "Do people need a visa to come to Jantar Mantar?" [3].
The Cockroach Janta Party has used the protest to draw attention to systemic issues within the medical entrance examination process. The movement's presence at Jantar Mantar, a traditional hub for public demonstrations, continues to draw scrutiny from city authorities regarding public order and health safety [1, 2].
“"We are not in detention or arrest."”
The hospitalization of Abhijeet Dipke and the police's insistence on Aadhaar verification reflect a tightening of state control over public dissent in New Delhi. By framing the removal of a hunger striker as a medical necessity rather than an arrest, authorities avoid the legal complexities of detention while effectively neutralizing the protest's visibility. The demand for biometric identification at a public square further signals an increase in surveillance of political activists.
