Sonam Wangchuk ‘still fasting’, ink thrown at Abhijeet Dipke - What happened at Jantar Mantar today?

Day 21 of activist Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike began in chaos when Delhi Police "forcefully" took Wangchuk away, covered in white sheets, from the Jantar Mantar protest site and admitted him to Safdarjung hospital due to health concerns.

Questions were raised over the manner in which Wangchuk was rushed to the hospital. Later, Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke broke down in tears as he announced he would hold an indefinite hunger strike.

The day took a dramatic turn further when a woman threw an ink-like liquid at Dipke amid the protest around Saturday noon.

About the protest

Wangchuk was mustering all his strength to participate in the July 20 march to Parliament. He had been holding an indefinite fast since June 28, 2026, in solidarity with the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP).

The CJP, which began as online satire but ended up becoming a massive movement, has been protesting against Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET 'paper leak' incident that severely impacted students.

Wangchuk has been demanding accountability for the alleged paper leak and a resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan. He and his supporters also urged the government to initiate a dialogue with protesters to address the concerns related to the education system.

What happened early Saturday, July 18?

Before the sun rose on Saturday, there were reports about “multiple incidents” at Jantar Mantar, where “people created disturbances”.

Around Friday midnight, Cockroach Janata Party's Abhijeet Dipke claimed that "goons tried to attack Sonam sir at Jantar Mantar." He said an "object was thrown at him, but fortunately, he was not hurt."

Later, in the early hours of Saturday, Dipke alleged a Delhi Police “crackdown” at Jantar Mantar. It claimed that police were “beating up people and taking away Sonam sir forcefully.”

This allegedly happened in the absence of Dipke, who had gone to a nearby location to “take a bath,” the CJP said. Dipke said he was “beaten up and put under detention by Delhi Police.”

Dipke was released only after Wangchuk was taken “successfully kidnapped” from Jantar Mantar, the CJP posted on X. It added that Wangchuk was taken to an “unknown” location. It was also claimed that CJP protesters were “lathi-charged badly” at Jantar Mantar.

Wangchuk ‘dragged away,’ recalls Dipke

Recalling police's “crackdown” at Jantar Mantar protest early Saturday, Abhijeet Dipke said, “At 7 AM, when I stepped out to freshen up, police goons arrived here. They dragged Sonam Sir away while hurling abuse at him.”

“A 60-year-old man, who had been on a hunger strike for 20 days and hadn't eaten a thing was forcibly dragged away by the Delhi Police,” he said.

Dipke alleged, "We have no idea where they have taken him. When I received the news and was on my way to Jantar Mantar from my friend's house, the police assaulted me as well...These aren't police officers; they are RSS goons. I had returned to my country from abroad; am I a criminal? They are goons—not police, but RSS goons..."

Was Sonam Wangchuk arrested?

No. Wangchuk was not arrested or detained. He was taken to the Safdarjung Hospital for treatment. Doctors said he had become weak due to prolonged fasting. However, his vitals were stable.

The hospital also confirmed that Wangchuk was being treated there.

Dr Charu Bamba, Medical Superintendent, Safdarjung Hospital, said in a statement on Saturday, “Mr Sonam Wangchuck was received and admitted at Safdarjung Hospital for required health care at 7.40 am today. He is weak due to prolonged fasting and dehydration. Although he is currently stable, he requires continuous observation, monitoring and treatment to restore his body parameters.”

She told ANI that Wangchuk is fully alert and stable. “Initially, the Emergency Medicine Department attended to him upon his arrival, and he has now been admitted under the Department of Medicine.”

“We will keep him for a while because there are signs of dehydration affecting his electrolyte levels. We will correct these and then review his condition again...," she said.

Police says ‘no lathicharge’, action taken as per HC order

As protesters and Opposition leaders condemned police “crackdown” at Jantar Mantar on Saturday, DCP New Delhi Sachin Sharma said action was taken in accordance with the high court's order.

"In accordance with the Honorable High Court's order and considering his health condition and expert medical advice, Mr Sonam Wangchuk has been shifted from here to a government hospital for treatment," Sharma told ANI.

He added, “There has been absolutely no lathi-charge or anything of that sort.”

CJP says action ‘completely illegal’

Following the statement, the CJP questioned: “How did you decide his health has deteriorated Delhi police suddenly in early morning even without medical check.”

The “party” said Wangchuk was monitored last evening by “YOUR GOVT DOCTORS WHO ADVISED NOTHING BUT MONITORING HIS HEALTH.”

“DID YOU CHECK HIS VITALS IN THE MORNING BEFORE WHISKING HIM AWAY?,” it asked.

CJP spokesperson Saurav Das said that nowhere in the high court’s order does it mention that Sonam “Wangchuk ought to be forcibly taken away by the police, wrapped in a white bedsheet like a dead body.”

“It is clear that only if a life threatening condition warrants, based on medical advice, can treatment be given. All of Sonam ji’s vitals were normal until yesterday,” Das wrote on X.

He added, “No doctor checked up on him at 7 am today when the Police used force to illegally detain him. So based on what “medical advice” is the Police claiming to do what it did?”

“The only answer is that the government is rattled by the success of this movement, the 20 July march, and the outpouring of support for Sonam ji,” Das said.

He demanded that the “Delhi Police must IMMEDIATELY release Sonam ji, allow his family and lawyers to meet him, and reveal whether they arrested Sonam ji and if so, on what legal grounds.”

Abhishek Dipke announces hunger strike: ‘Modi must resign!’

After Sonam Wangchuk was taken to the hospital, Abhijeet Dipke announced that he will hold an “indefinite hunger strike beginning right now.”

He broke down into tears as he took the dias and sat with a picture of Sonam Wangchuk at the protest site. Dipke condemned police action and said the protest march to Parliament on July 20 will be held as planned. He said, “...we will now demand the resignation of Narendra Modi.”

"If they think that taking Sonam Sir away will end this movement, they are mistaken. We will remain here, and will march to Parliament on July 20," Dipke said while speaking at Jantar Mantar.

He added, "Until now, we were demanding Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation, but after this despicable act, we will now demand the resignation of Narendra Modi."

Dipke also urged protesters not to back down. “"I am commencing my indefinite hunger strike starting today. I appeal to everyone: do not back down; this movement will only grow larger.”

“They have made a grave mistake... I urge everyone to come to Jantar Mantar; our movement will continue from here, and we will proceed with our march scheduled for July 20th,” he added.

Wangchuk's wife demands to shift him from Safdarjung hospital

The CJP alleged Sonam Wangchul’s wife Gitanjali J Angmo was “not allowed to take her phone inside hospital room.” It claimed that Wangchuk’s “medical reports are not shared with the family. No personal lawyers or doctors were allowed to meet.”

Earlier, Angmo said, “I am at Safdarjung hospital in Delhi where @Wangchuk66 has been admitted.” She said nothing should be administered to Wangchuk orally or intravenous without taking “consent from me, his family and his doctors who have been monitoring his health for the past 20 days.”

In a letter to the Safdarjung Hospital, Angmo said she wants to shift Sonam Wangchuk to a medical centre of their choice because of the “lack of transparency has shaken their trust.”

Opposing the Delhi Police’s statement, Angmo said the high court order never mandated hospitalisation. “It simply stated that an individual's health is paramount and must be monitored at regular intervals; it did not order hospitalization,” she said.

“So, this is not in accordance with the High Court order. No treatment is underway right now. Only observation and tests are being conducted, and we are actually going to get the tests done at an external lab,” Angmo said.

“Since they aren't providing the reports we requested, and regarding the figures they are citing like the potassium level reaching 2.9. It was 4.3 yesterday, so it couldn't have changed to that today,” Angmo added.

She said she wants to cross-check this with another lab before administering any medication.

Wangchuk’s hunger strike continues...

Angmo said Wangchuk is still fasting. “The fast is continuing because he isn't consuming any sugar,” she added.

“He is only taking the water with salt that he was consuming earlier... I am grateful that the government cared enough to bring him here, but we will handle the next steps ourselves; there is no need for government interference in this matter. He is definitely weak and losing muscle mass—which happens during any fast—but he is alert and very strong," Wangchuk’s wife said.

Ink thrown at Dipke

Around 1:30 pm, reports claimed a woman threw ink at Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke at Jantar Mantar, again sparking to chaos at the protest site. A video of the incident was shared by the news agency PTI on X.

As drama and chaos continue at Jantar Mantar, all eyes are now on the CJP's July 20 march to Parliament, which the supporters have claimed will be held despite Saturday's pandemonium.