Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been protesting and has been on a hunger strike for the past 20 days at Delhi's Jantar Mantar over the alleged NEET paper leak, was shifted to Safdarjung Hospital by the Delhi Police on Saturday.
Police arrived at the protest site in the morning and moved Wangchuk to the hospital amid sloganeering and protests by activists of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), who have been demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged examination irregularities.
The police action came ahead of a hearing in the Delhi High Court on Wangchuk's deteriorating health. The 59-year-old activist had reportedly lost more than 8 kg during his 20-day fast.
Two days earlier, the Delhi High Court had directed authorities to conduct daily clinical health checks on Wangchuk. Stressing the importance of protecting his health, the court observed that "life of any citizen is precious," while directing regular medical monitoring and necessary medical intervention. The court also told the Centre that "anything and everything should be done to protect Wangchuk's life.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), DCP New Delhi wrote, "As per orders of Hon’ble High Court and on expert medical advise due to the deteriorating health condition of Sh. Sonam Wangchuk, he has been shifted to the hospital for essential medical care.
While complying with the orders of Hon’ble High Court the protestors tried to create obstruction, in which slight commotion ensued, however police took maximum restrain and undertook the exercise safely.
We request the protestors at Jantar Mantar to peacefully vacate the place at the earliest."
Doctors who examined Wangchuk on Friday had described his condition as a medical emergency, warning that prolonged fasting had raised concerns about possible organ failure.
CJP founder Dipke alleges attack on Sonam Wangchuk
In a separate development, Abhijit Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), alleged that some people tried to target Wangchuk during the protest. He claimed that chaos erupted at the protest site during the incident.
In a social media post, Dipke alleged that he had previously expressed concerns about attempts to disrupt the protest. He stated that security arrangements at the protest site were inadequate and that, without timely intervention, the situation could have escalated. He demanded an impartial investigation into the entire matter and stronger security arrangements.
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However, the Delhi Police has not issued any official statement regarding the alleged attack, and the claims have not been independently verified.
All you need to know about CJP protest
The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), led by Abhi Dipke, is an Indian youth-led satirical political movement that emerged after a controversial remark by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant. During court proceedings, the CJI reportedly compared certain unemployed young people and online activists to "cockroaches" and "parasites of society."
The Gen Z-led satirical party went viral almost overnight, garnering millions of followers on Instagram. Within days, it surpassed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Instagram followers, crossing the 22 million mark. Although it began as an internet meme, the movement quickly evolved into a broader youth-led campaign fueled by frustration over rising living costs, unemployment, and major educational controversies, particularly the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak.
The CJP organized protests across multiple states, with its first major demonstration taking place at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. The party's primary demand has been the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination irregularities. It later announced a nationwide protest in June against corruption and examination paper leaks, urging the government to ensure fair recruitment processes and transparent examinations.
On June 28, 2026, Sonam Wangchuk joined the CJP protest at Jantar Mantar and announced an indefinite hunger strike. Since then, he has been fasting while demanding the resignation of the Union Education Minister over the alleged NEET paper leak.