Delhi HC Petition Seeks Force-Feeding of Sonam Wangchuk, Warns Activist May Die in Two Days

The situation at Jantar Mantar has reached an alarming level. Sonam Wangchuk, a climate activist who has been on an indefinite hunger strike since June 28, is now on his 18th day, and his physical health is rapidly deteriorating.

The Human Element of the Situation

The protest, organised in collaboration with the “Cockroach Janta Party” (CJP), is part of wider demand for systemic reforms in India’s education system, including a call for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in the wake of the NEET-UG 2026 exam and other irregularities.

The physical cost to the viewers is stark. Wangchuk is reportedly losing more than 8 kg and experiencing severe muscle loss and excruciating pain. But he is standing his ground, telling supporters they should be asking the government why it refuses to engage in a dialogue, rather than asking him to stop.

The Legal Action

His condition deteriorated, and a lawyer, Rakesh Kumar Saini, filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Delhi High Court. The plea is basically a desperate cry for help, saying that the government's continued silence and inaction are tantamount to helping and abetting suicide.

The petitioner is asking the court to order the authorities to:

Get Wangchuk to a government hospital now.

*Give him medical treatment. Force him to eat. Give him a liquid diet if necessary to keep him alive.

“The issue is urgent,” said the bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia of the Delhi High Court. They could not hear the case in full detail today, as the union government was not represented. However, they have ordered notices to be served on the centre and the Delhi government.

July 16, 2026, is a critical day for the activist as well as the authorities. The matter has been listed for hearing by the court tomorrow.

It is a time of high tension and emotion for all concerned – the students seeking accountability in their exams and the activists standing by his side at Jantar Mantar.