Sonam Wangchuk Taken to Hospital

as Hunger Strike Enters 21st Day; CJP's Abhijeet Dipke Detained, Alleges Assault by Delhi Police

Report By Y-Trendz

New Delhi, July 18, 2026 — Climate activist and educationist Sonam Wangchuk was removed from his hunger-strike site at Jantar Mantar and taken to a hospital by Delhi Police in the early hours of Saturday

morning, as his indefinite fast against Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan entered its 21st day. The operation, which police say was carried out on the directions of the Delhi High Court and on medical advice, triggered chaotic scenes at the protest venue, with Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) activists alleging a heavy-handed crackdown just two days before the group's planned march to Parliament.

Pre-Dawn Operation

According to accounts from protesters at the site, a team of roughly ten police personnel arrived at Jantar Mantar early Saturday morning. One protester told ANI that the officers initially appeared to pose as a medical team, and volunteers only realised they were police because they did not resemble doctors. The officers ordered volunteers to step aside before announcing that a High Court order required them to take Wangchuk away, and all personnel involved were reportedly in plainclothes.

Delhi Police issued a statement defending the operation. The force said Wangchuk was shifted to hospital "as per orders of Hon'ble High Court and on expert medical advise due to the deteriorating health condition" of the activist, describing it as essential medical care. The police statement further claimed that while complying with the court's orders, protesters attempted to create obstruction, leading to a "slight commotion," but that officers exercised maximum restraint and carried out the operation safely, appealing to remaining protesters to vacate Jantar Mantar peacefully.

The intervention came a day after doctors had reportedly flagged that Wangchuk's prolonged fast had reached a critical stage, with his health visibly deteriorating over the preceding days.

Dipke's Detention and Allegations

At roughly the same time as Wangchuk's removal, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke was detained by Delhi Police, a development he described in a series of posts on X as violent and unwarranted. Dipke claimed he had been beaten and put under detention, adding to already high tensions ahead of Monday's planned "Chalo Sansad" march, which is timed to coincide with the start of Parliament's Monsoon Session.

In his posts, Dipke gave a real-time account of the unfolding situation. He wrote that Delhi Police had stopped him at the location where he was staying, and that he was being told Wangchuk was simultaneously being picked up from the protest site, with students being subjected to lathi charges. Delhi Police has not officially confirmed or responded to Dipke's specific allegations of assault.

CJP spokesperson Saurav Das corroborated parts of Dipke's account. Das alleged that students had been lathi-charged at the site and that Dipke had been intercepted and stopped at his place of stay before being taken into custody. Fellow protesters at Jantar Mantar echoed the claim that Dipke had gone to use the restroom shortly before the police operation began, after which he became uncontactable, leading volunteers to conclude he had also been detained.

Background: A Month-Long Standoff

Wangchuk had been leading the hunger strike to press for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in the education system, with the CJP's broader sit-in at Jantar Mantar having stretched on for nearly a month. On Friday, just a day before he was taken to hospital, Wangchuk had told supporters he intended to continue the fast "by any means" until July 20 so that he could personally lead the march to Parliament, adding — half in jest — that he would "come back as a ghost" if the mobilisation failed.

The protest had already seen earlier flashpoints. On Friday, Dipke had alleged that "goons" attempted to attack Wangchuk at the demonstration site, with an object thrown at him, though he said the 59-year-old activist was not injured in the incident.

This is not the first time Wangchuk's activism has led to confrontations with Delhi Police. The Ladakh-based reformer — whose life partly inspired the character Phunsukh Wangdu in the 2009 film 3 Idiots — has for years spearheaded protests demanding statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, including a 35-day fast in Leh and repeated detentions during marches toward the national capital.

Political Reactions

The hospitalisation and Dipke's detention have drawn swift reactions from opposition leaders. Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav were among the political figures who expressed concern over Wangchuk's health and voiced support for the proposed Parliament march.

With the "Chalo Sansad" march scheduled for Monday, coinciding with the opening of Parliament's Monsoon Session, the events of Saturday have added a fresh layer of tension to what was already shaping up as a high-stakes confrontation between the CJP and the government. Further details on Wangchuk's medical condition and the legal status of Dipke's detention are still awaited, with both Delhi Police and CJP leadership expected to issue additional statements as the situation develops.

(With inputs from wire agencies)