Sonam Wangchuk Taken to Hospital on Day 21 of Hunger Strike as Supporters Allege Forced Removal

On the morning of Saturday, July 18, 2026, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk was forcibly whisked away from the Jantar Mantar protest site in Delhi to Safdarjung Hospital. The operation, on the 21st day of his indefinite hunger strike, attracted intense scrutiny because of the speed and tactical nature of the police action.

The SRO (Removal Operation)

Eyewitness accounts and reports describe a highly choreographed effort by the Delhi Police to clear the site:

Timing and Strategy: The operation was launched in the wee hours of the morning at around 7:00 AM. Reports say police had been on alert and conducted a security drill earlier that morning with officers told to carry out the removal swiftly.

Tactics: Protesters said about 20–25 people, including some in plainclothes, encircled Wangchuk’s mattress. He was carried into an ambulance as officers held up large white sheets to block the view of the media and onlookers.

Duration: The entire extraction was over within minutes, leaving many supporters stunned. Some protesters said they were physically pushed, shoved or restrained when they attempted to intervene.

Justifications and counterarguments

The incident has created a huge gulf between official narratives and those on the ground:

Delhi Police Statement: Delhi Police said that the action was taken as per the order of the Delhi High Court and on the basis of expert medical opinion that Wangchuk’s “health was deteriorating”. They said they had shown "maximum restraint" throughout the process and urged the protesters to leave the area peacefully.

Protester Perspective Supporters and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) described the removal as a “forced” extraction and crackdown on democratic dissent. Gitanjali J Angmo, wife of Wangchuk, had challenged the hospitalisation publicly, saying no medical treatment or intervention should be carried out without the consent of the family and his personal doctors.

Current Situation

Medical Condition: Medical staff at Safdarjung Hospital said Wangchuk was conscious and stable when he was admitted to the emergency ward and that he was dehydrated and had an electrolyte imbalance. He has been reported to refuse all IV fluids, oral rehydration and medication and is under continuous observation.

The protests go on: supporters have vowed to keep protesting after their leader was removed. The protests continue over alleged nationwide examination irregularities, including the NEET paper leak, with the demand for the removal of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.