Sonam Wangchuk moved to Medanta; supporters throng Jantar Mantar

Follow TNM's WhatsApp channel for news updates and story links.Activist Sonam Wangchuk was shifted from Safdarjung Hospital to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram on Tuesday evening, July 21, following a Delhi High Court order, while crowds at Jantar Mantar continued to swell in support of the ongoing Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protest over alleged examination irregularities.Wangchuk, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike since June 28, was taken to Medanta in an ambulance under tight security and reached the hospital at around 7.28 pm. He was admitted to ICU 8, where treatment began under the supervision of internal medicine specialist Dr Sushila Kataria. Security was stepped up around the hospital following his transfer.Safdarjung Hospital said Wangchuk was discharged at 6.40 pm and handed over to the Medanta medical team in compliance with the Delhi High Court's July 21 order. The hospital said his "vital parameters were stable" but that "pancytopenia persists, and his serum potassium level was 3.4 mEq/L." It added that all relevant medical records had been transferred to ensure continuity of care.A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia directed that Wangchuk be shifted to the hospital of his choice after considering medical opinions placed before it.The Bench observed, "Having regard to the submissions made, the opinion expressed by the doctors present and the concerns raised by them, we are of the opinion that the husband of the appellant ought to be shifted to a hospital of his choice. We accordingly direct that the husband of the appellant shall be immediately shifted to Medanta."The Bench further directed Medanta to constitute a team of doctors to constantly monitor Wangchuk's condition and administer treatment "as may be required in terms of accepted medical norms," while noting that the transfer would be "in fulfilment of requirements of ensuring his fundamental rights."The court also allowed Wangchuk's wife, Gitanjali Angmo, unrestricted access to him during his hospitalisation and told her counsel, "The court's concern is only with his safety and protection of fundamental rights, nothing else with what is going on."Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the court that the Union government had no objection to Wangchuk's transfer, while urging that he should not seek discharge against medical advice.Meanwhile, support for the agitation continued to build at Jantar Mantar, where protesters remained gathered despite heavy security and police barricades. Hundreds of people from across India and abroad ordered food online for protesters at the site, with deliveries ranging from pizzas and burgers to momos and thalis before organisers appealed to supporters to stop placing further orders.The Delhi Police, meanwhile, registered four FIRs against unknown persons in connection with violence during Monday's protest, including charges of rioting, assault on public servants and damage to public property. Police said they were investigating whether the violence had been "premeditated and executed in an organised, coordinated manner."Wangchuk was forcibly taken to Safdarjung Hospital by Delhi Police on July 18 after he was removed from the protest site, citing concerns over his deteriorating health during the hunger strike. The nationwide agitation is led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and supported by student organisations over alleged irregularities in NEET-UG 2026 and other competitive examinations. The movement, which began on June 20, has been demanding a transparent investigation into the alleged paper leak, reforms in the public examination system, and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.