I reached Jantar Mantar at around 7 am on Saturday, expecting another day of protest as supporters prepared for what was to be the 21st day of Sonam Wangchuk’s indefinite hunger strike.
Instead, it quickly became evident that something unusual was about to unfold.
Security was unusually heavy. Delhi Police personnel were deployed in large numbers, along with the Rapid Action Force, CRPF and other paramilitary units.
Several officers were in plain clothes, making it difficult to distinguish them from the crowd.
There was a sense of uncertainty among the protesters, who appeared anxious but were unaware of what was about to happen.
Wangchuk had joined the protest on June 28 and had been on an indefinite hunger strike since then. According to those associated with the protest, he had lost nearly 8.5 to 9 kg and his health had severely deteriorated.
His condition became the subject of a petition before the Delhi High Court, which observed that “every life is precious”. The court directed the Central and Delhi Governments to ensure his daily medical examination and ordered that a team of doctors continuously monitor his health.
Events on Saturday morning unfolded rapidly. A group of police personnel moved towards the main stage where Wangchuk was resting. They quickly covered the stage with white sheets, shielding the activity from public view.
Behind those sheets, Wangchuk was carefully lifted and carried away.
He was then swiftly transferred to an ambulance waiting just outside the barricaded protest site.
NDTV was the first television channel on the ground to witness and report these developments as they happened.
For several minutes, many protesters did not fully understand what had taken place.
As word spread that Wangchuk had been removed, people rushed towards the stage and attempted to stop the police.
There was brief resistance, but officers managed the situation while repeatedly urging people to remain calm.
They maintained that they were acting in compliance with the Delhi High Court’s directions regarding Wangchuk’s health.
One notable detail was that Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party, was not present when Wangchuk was taken away.
Several protesters told NDTV that Dipke had stepped out to use the restroom at a friend’s residence.
Dipke later alleged that he had been assaulted and detained by the police. Nearly two hours after the incident, he returned to Jantar Mantar and announced from the stage that he would continue the movement by beginning his own hunger strike.
After Wangchuk’s removal, the protest site remained under tight security. The area was effectively sealed for nearly half an hour as additional police personnel entered the premises.
Some protesters who attempted to create a disturbance were detained.
The atmosphere remained tense for almost two hours.
Throughout this period, police officials repeatedly made announcements over loudspeakers, informing protesters that Wangchuk had been shifted to hospital under the High Court’s directions and urging them to disperse peacefully.
The protesters, however, remained visibly agitated. Many raised slogans against Delhi Police, accusing authorities of suppressing democratic dissent and calling Wangchuk’s removal an attack on the right to protest.
Despite the tense atmosphere and heavy deployment, the protest did not end.
Later, Safdarjung Hospital confirmed that Sonam Wangchuk was admitted at around 7:40 am. According to the hospital, he was weak due to prolonged fasting and dehydration. Doctors said that while he was stable at the time of admission, he required continuous observation, monitoring and medical treatment to restore his health.
Saturday morning’s events marked one of the most dramatic moments in the ongoing protest – the removal of its most prominent face under heavy security, in compliance with judicial directions, while emotions ran high on the ground.
