Delhi Police removed activist Sonam Wangchuk from his protest site at Jantar Mantar on Saturday morning and transported him to a hospital [1], [2].
The incident marks a critical escalation in the hunger strike, as the removal of a high-profile environmentalist by force or medical necessity creates a flashpoint between civil rights advocates and state authorities.
Wangchuk was taken to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi [3]. The removal occurred on the 21st day of his hunger strike [1]. Police officials said the action was necessary because Wangchuk's health was deteriorating [2].
A spokesperson for the Delhi Police said the move followed orders from the High Court and expert medical advice due to the deteriorating health condition of Sonam Wangchuk [2].
However, organizers of the protest described the scene differently. Abhijeet Dipke, the founder of the Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP), said police dragged Wangchuk away and abused him [2]. Dipke said that the hunger strike would continue until their demands are met [1].
The removal of Wangchuk comes as Delhi Police tighten their grip on the Jantar Mantar protest site [3]. While authorities maintain the intervention was a lawful medical necessity, the CJP alleges the police used force and abuse to clear the activist from the site [2].
“"Cops dragged Wangchuk away, abused him"”
The clash between the Delhi Police's legal mandate to protect life and the protesters' right to peaceful assembly highlights the tension in India's current civil discourse. By citing High Court orders, the state justifies the removal as a humanitarian act, while the allegations of abuse from CJP suggest a strategic effort to dismantle the visibility of the hunger strike. The continuation of the fast despite Wangchuk's hospitalization indicates that the movement's goals transcend the health of a single individual.
