Delhi Police removed activist Sonam Wangchuk from the Jantar Mantar protest site and shifted him to Safdarjung Hospital on Saturday.
The incident marks a critical escalation in the protest led by the Citizens' Justice Party (CJP). The removal of a high-profile activist during a hunger strike often triggers wider public unrest and intensifies political scrutiny over the state's handling of peaceful dissent.
Wangchuk had been on a hunger strike for 21 days [1]. According to reports, Delhi Police intervened after his health began to deteriorate due to the prolonged fast [1]. The situation became urgent when Wangchuk refused to accept intravenous fluids, which are typically used to stabilize patients suffering from severe dehydration and malnutrition [1].
Witnesses and reporters at the scene said he was taken away by Delhi Police [1]. The move sparked immediate reactions from supporters at the protest site. "His removal is wrong," said Rahul, a supporter of the movement [1].
Wangchuk is affiliated with the Citizens' Justice Party, a group focusing on legal and civic rights. The protest at Jantar Mantar has served as a focal point for the party's grievances. While the police cited medical necessity for the hospitalization, the forceful nature of the transfer has drawn criticism from those gathered at the site.
Medical staff at Safdarjung Hospital are now monitoring Wangchuk's condition. The police have not provided a detailed timeline for his potential release or whether he will remain under guard during his recovery [1].
“Wangchuk had been on a hunger strike for 21 days.”
The forced hospitalization of Sonam Wangchuk highlights the tension between state obligations to preserve life and an individual's right to political protest through self-starvation. By removing Wangchuk from Jantar Mantar, the authorities have effectively ended the public visibility of the hunger strike, though the move risks turning the activist into a martyr for the Citizens' Justice Party cause.
