Indian court rejects bid to release hunger-striking activist from hospital
Indian court rejects bid to release hunger-striking activist from hospital The wife of 59-year-old Sonam Wangchuk says his enforced hospitalisation is...
Key points
- Indian court rejects bid to release hunger-striking activist from hospital The wife of 59-year-old Sonam Wangchuk says his enforced hospitalisation is ‘illegal detention’.
- An Indian court has rejected a petition from the wife of activist Sonam Wangchuk to release him from “illegal detention” in a New Delhi hospital, where he was forcibly taken by police after three weeks on hunger strike in solidarity with the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest movement.
- “Despite repeated requests, the hospital has refused to discharge him or allow us to shift him to a private hospital of our choice,” Gitanjali Angmo said on X on Sunday, adding that she had “sought an urgent hearing” at the Delhi High Court.
- Judge Mini Pushkarna said doctors had administered only oral fluids and supplements with Wangchuk’s consent, adding: “It cannot be said that any force is being used against Mr Sonam Wangchuk or that his bodily autonomy is being violated in any manner whatsoever.” Police seized the 59-year-old Wangchuk on Saturday at the Jantar Mantar, housing large 18th-century astronomical devices, which has become a protest site in the capital for the mostly youthful supporters of the CJP movement, and took him to the state-run Safdarjung Hospital.
What happened
Indian court rejects bid to release hunger-striking activist from hospital The wife of 59-year-old Sonam Wangchuk says his enforced hospitalisation is ‘illegal detention’. An Indian court has rejected a petition from the wife of activist Sonam Wangchuk to release him from “illegal detention” in a New Delhi hospital, where he was forcibly taken by police after three weeks on hunger strike in solidarity with the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest movement. “Despite repeated requests, the hospital has refused to discharge him or allow us to shift him to a private hospital of our choice,” Gitanjali Angmo said on X on Sunday, adding that she had “sought an urgent hearing” at the Delhi High Court. Judge Mini Pushkarna said doctors had administered only oral fluids and supplements with Wangchuk’s consent, adding: “It cannot be said that any force is being used against Mr Sonam Wangchuk or that his bodily autonomy is being violated in any manner whatsoever.” Police seized the 59-year-old Wangchuk on Saturday at the Jantar Mantar, housing large 18th-century astronomical devices, which has become a protest site in the capital for the mostly youthful supporters of the CJP movement, and took...