How Delhi Police shifted Sonam Wangchuk to hospital on Saturday morning: A blow-by-blow account
Saturday was 21st day of Wangchuk's hunger strike alongside the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest seeking Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over NEET and other exam irregularities.
Chaos erupted at Jantar Mantar in the early hours of 18 July when a team of Delhi Police personnel in plain clothes entered the protest site through the rear gate and moved Sonam Wangchuk to a government hospital after his health deteriorated.
Saturday marked the 21st day of Wangchuk's hunger strike at the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest, seeking Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over alleged irregularities in NEET and other public examinations.
According to eyewitnesses, at around 6.30 am, a team policemen carrying white curtains climbed onto the stage. They used the sheets to shield the stage from public view before lifting Wangchuk in what his supporters described as a forcible removal. At the same time, another group of policemen held back supporters who tried to approach the stage. Another contingent of uniformed Delhi Police personnel and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel remained deployed near the stage.
Quick answers to key questions
Sonam Wangchuk was shifted to the hospital due to deteriorating health, as per instructions from the Delhi High Court and on expert medical advice, after he had been on a hunger strike for 21 days.
The police's early morning action was prompted by orders from the Police Headquarters around 1:30 am to ensure that Wangchuk underwent a medical examination and was admitted to the hospital after his health declined.
Police entered the protest site using a large white curtain to shield the operation from public view and forcibly lifted Wangchuk amid attempts from supporters to approach the stage.
The police justified the removal by stating it was done in accordance with the High Court's order and necessary medical intervention required due to Wangchuk's severe health issues.
Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike aims to demand the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in NEET and other public examinations.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke was not present at the venue, while party spokesperson Saurav Das was returning to Delhi from Rajasthan.
“I was returning from Rajasthan. I was told that Sonamji has been forcifully removed by policemen in civies who covered the stage with a curtain. They used strong arm tactic. They beat up some protestors. Now they have stopped people from enetring the venue,” Saurav Das, CJP spokesperson told reporters after Sonam was removed.
Early Morning Action
Senior police officers received instructions from Police Headquarters around 1.30 am to ensure that Wangchuk underwent a medical examination and was admitted to hospital, news ageny PTI said.
At 3 am Saturday all personnel of the New Delhi district police assembled at the spot for what they were told was a security drill in Parliament before the Monsoon Session, a report in Indian Express said quoting sources. They were then taken to the Mandir Marg police station, where they were informed that Wangchuk would be removed from Jantar Mantar within ‘30 seconds,’ the report said.
The officers also discussed deploying network jammers around the protest site to prevent the circulation of videos during the operation, the source told PTI.
Around 5 am, senior officers gathered near Jantar Mantar for a final briefing. Deputy Commissioner of Police of New Delhi briefed the deployment before the orders were implemented.
As the policemen covered the stage with the sheets before shifting the activist to an ambulance waiting nearby. The sheets were used to prevent members of the CJP and others from recording and circulating videos of Wangchuk's removal, a source told PTI.
No police permission for Monday's march
Wangchuk and CJP have given a march call to Parliament on 20 July, the first day of Monsoon Session of Parliament. The CJP has not yet sought permission for the Parliament march, Delhi Police sources were quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
While CJP protest started (not hunger strike) started on 20 June, Wangchuk has been on a hunger strike since June 28.
The early morning action on Saturday was planned following directions from the Delhi High Court and medical advice recommending Wangchuk's hospitalisation, Delhi police said in a statement. Deputy Commissioner of Police Sachin Sharma told PTI that Wangchuk was shifted in accordance with the High Court's order after his health deteriorated.
"Following the directions of the High Court and according to the health conditions and medical advice, we have taken Sonam Wangchuk to the appropriate government hospital, which was a much-needed medical intervention and under medical supervision," he said.
Some Wangchuk supporters wondered which order police was citing. Others said it was about of court order that did not let people to protest at Jantar Mantar without police permission. Delhi police had allowed CJP to hold a protest on 20 June until 5 am, but the party decided to continue protesting beyond the permitted time. Kumar reportedly reviewed the situation at Police Headquarters on Friday.
New Delhi Police Commissioner – Anurag Kumar
Wangchuk's shifting from Jantar Mantar came a day after the Union Ministry of Home Affairs removed Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golchha and appointed Anurag Kumar in his place. Golchha’s early departure was allegedly linked to the handling of the Cockroach Janta Party protest at Jantar Mantar.
During Wangchuk's removal on Saturday morning, there was brief commotion during the operation, with police claiming that some of the protesters attempted to obstruct the implementation of the High Court's directions.
After Sonam was taken to Safdarjung Hospital, security was intensified in and around Jantar Mantar, across parts of the New Delhi district, and also outside the hospital.
With Sonam in hospital, Dipke has announced a hunger strike. A group of students, including a PhD scholar, Neha Bora from Jawaharlal Nehru University are continuing their fast on day 21 on Saturday.
(With PTI inputs)
About the Author
Gulam Jeelani is Political Desk Editor at LiveMint with over 16 years of experience covering national and international politics. Based in New Delhi, Jeelani delivers impactful political narratives through breaking stories, in-depth interviews, and analytical pieces at LiveMint since February 2024. The expertise in video production fuels his current responsibilities, which include curating content and conducting video interviews for an expanding digital audience.<br><br> Jeelani also travels during elections and key political events and has covered assembly elections in key states apart from national elections. He has previously worked with The Pioneer, Network18, India Today, News9Plus and Hindustan Times.<br><br> Jeelani’s tenure at LiveMint and previous experience at print and digital newsrooms have honed his skills in creating compelling text and video stories, explainers, and analysis that resonate with a diverse viewership.<br><br> Before moving to New Delhi in 2015, Jeelani was based in Uttar Pradesh, where he worked for five years as a reporter. In 2018, Jeelani was one of the two Indian journalists selected for the Alfred Friendly Fellowship in the US. There, he attended training workshops on reporting and data journalism, and he was attached to the Minneapolis Star Tribune in Minnesota, where he worked as a reporter.<br><br> Jeelani is a Bachelor's in Chemistry and holds a Masters Degree in journalism and mass communication from Aligarh Muslim University. Outside work, he enjoys poetry, cricket and movies.
Wait for it…
Oops! Looks like you have exceeded the limit to bookmark the image. Remove some to bookmark this image.