Delhi High Court Orders Daily Monitoring of Activist Sonam Wangchuk's Health Amid Hunger Strike
Court Directs Health Monitoring for Hunger Striker
On Thursday, the Delhi High Court instructed both the Central and Delhi governments to ensure that the health status of activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar since June 28, is monitored on a daily basis, as reported by a legal news outlet.
The court emphasized that any necessary medical interventions to enhance his health should be provided by the government.
Wangchuk's hunger strike is part of a protest organized by the Cockroach Janta Party, which is demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan due to alleged mismanagement in the administration of competitive exams.
During the hearing, the court remarked that the “life of any citizen is precious” and that government authorities must make every effort to preserve it, according to another legal news source.
The court acknowledged the government's claim that Wangchuk's health was already under the supervision of medical professionals before dismissing a petition that sought intervention to end the activist's fast.
The petition, submitted by lawyer and activist Rakesh Kumar Saini, highlighted that Wangchuk's health had significantly declined, noting a weight loss of 8.5 kg during the protest. It warned that if the hunger strike persisted, it could lead to his death within two days.
Saini requested that the Central and Delhi governments take Wangchuk to a hospital for force-feeding.
He expressed that if the activist were to die, it would reflect poorly on the nation and the global community.
On Thursday, Wangchuk's doctor, Dr. Satish Lamba, reported that the activist had lost over 9 kg since the start of his fast, as noted by a news agency.
“He remains mentally alert,” Dr. Lamba stated. “His current weight is 56.9 kg.”
#WATCH | Delhi: On the health of activist Sonam Wangchuk, Dr Satish Lamba says, "Today, on the 19th day of hunger strike, his total weight loss exceeds 9 kilograms. His blood sugar today is 80 mg/dL, and his pulse is 72 beats per minute. His blood pressure readings are 105/61… https://t.co/6miDskF7S7 pic.twitter.com/hMyR7HBbXJ
— News Media (@NewsMedia) July 16, 2026
On Tuesday, over 1,800 civil society members urged Wangchuk to end his hunger strike.
In a letter, the signatories expressed their concern, stating that the Union government “lacks compassion and conscience.”
Notable signatories included actors Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah, author Arundhati Roy, and activists Lalita Ramdas and Kavita Srivastava.
Abhijeet Dipke, the founder of the campaign, mentioned on Tuesday that after 17 days of fasting, Wangchuk had begun to lose muscle mass and was experiencing “immense pain.”
Dipke added that he had implored Wangchuk to conclude his fast, to which Wangchuk responded by questioning why the Union government was unwilling to engage in dialogue with the protesters.