'Over 100 cops at hospital': Wife alleges Indian activist Sonam Wangchuk illegally detained under guise of medical care

The wife of Indian activist Sonam Wangchuk has accused the government of illegal detention, claiming her husband was taken to a hospital against his will for medical care. Wangchuk, 59, has been on a hunger strike since June 28 to protest alleged fraud in university entrance exams. He is demanding the resignation of the education minister after exam materials were leaked, forcing over two million students to retake the tests. Gitanjali J. Angmo, Wangchuk's wife, stated she has lost faith in the government hospital, which she says refused her request to move her husband to a private facility. "With around 30 police personnel stationed on our floor and well over 100 across the hospital, our movement is severely restricted," Angmo said. "It is not medical care. It is illegal detention," she asserted, adding that she has petitioned the high court for permission to transfer Wangchuk. The hospital stated late Saturday that Wangchuk had not consented to recommended medical interventions, including intravenous fluids and oral rehydration solutions. Meanwhile, India's parliament session begins Monday, with opposition parties backing Wangchuk and ongoing protests in New Delhi. Several groups, including political and farmers' organizations, are expected to join demonstrations during the parliamentary session. The founder of the satirical online movement Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), Abhijeet Dipke, announced an indefinite hunger strike after Wangchuk's hospitalization and called for a protest march towards parliament. CJP urged supporters to join the march for "a better tomorrow, for a better education system & most importantly for accountability!" On Sunday, hundreds gathered around the stage vacated by Wangchuk, holding posters and demanding the education minister's arrest. The re-examination for approximately 2.2 million aspiring medical students was conducted under tight security last month following the leak that sparked widespread outrage and youth protests.

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With around 30 police personnel stationed on our floor and well over 100 across the hospital, our movement is severely restricted. It is not medical care. It is illegal detention.