Sonam Wangchuk removed from Delhi hunger strike amid medical orders

In New Delhi, activist and educationist Sonam Wangchuk, 59, has been forcibly taken from his hunger strike at Jantar Mantar after 20 days of refusing food, officials said; authorities cited a court order and medical advice when moving him to a government hospital early on Saturday.

Wangchuk had been protesting in support of the online satirical Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which demands accountability over leaked exam papers and seeks educational reforms. He had consumed only salt and water and lost more than 9kg, describing himself to supporters as “weak from the outside but strong from within.”

Video from the scene showed police and paramilitary personnel removing Wangchuk from the stage around 07:30 local time, covering him with bedsheets before placing him into an ambulance. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said he was not informed where Wangchuk was taken.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Sachin Sharma said the transfer was done “in compliance with [a court] order, and based on health conditions and medical advice,” and confirmed Wangchuk is under medical supervision at a government facility as ordered by the Delhi High Court on Thursday.

The CJP began in May as an online satirical movement protesting paper leaks and irregularities in India’s top exams; protesters have demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan after a key medical entrance exam was cancelled in early May. The government has not formally engaged the group, and Pradhan dismissed the movement as “the B-team of disruptive elements.”

Despite frail health, Wangchuk had insisted on joining a planned march to Parliament on Monday, pledging a peaceful procession and urging supporters to present petitions “at the altar of democracy.”

Liberal News Analysis: What Does This Development Mean?

Wangchuk’s forcible removal highlights a friction point between street-led accountability movements and institutional governance in India. Medical intervention under court direction shifts the immediate focus from protest momentum to legal and health oversight, reducing the activist’s capacity to lead mass action while increasing pressure on authorities to justify their handling in public and legal forums.

For students and civil society, the episode may consolidate support around demands for transparent exam administration and ministerial responsibility; for the administration it creates a governance challenge: balancing public order, legal mandates and visible responsiveness to corruption-related grievances without appearing to suppress dissent.

Quick Glance: What You Need to Know

• Sonam Wangchuk was removed from his hunger strike at Jantar Mantar after 20 days and moved to a government hospital under court-ordered medical supervision.
• The protest supports the Cockroach Janta Party, formed in May to protest exam paper leaks and demand Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation.
• Police cited a court order and medical advice for the transfer; videos show authorities covering Wangchuk with bedsheets and placing him into an ambulance.