Gitanjali Angmo, the wife of activist and education reform campaigner Sonam Wangchuk approached the Delhi High Court (HC) on Sunday seeking an urgent hearing over what she termed her husband’s ‘illegal detention’ at the government-run Safdarjung Hospital in the national capital.
She sought legal recourse amid growing concern over Wangchuk’s health following his 21 days of hunger strike demanding greater transparency and accountability in India’s education system.
Gitanjali Angmo
Angmo, in her petition, sought permission to shift Wangchuk to a private hospital, alleging she has lost confidence in the treatment being provided at Safdarjung. She has also requested unrestricted access for the lawyers and medical professionals who had been treating the activist before he was hospitalised.
Angmo raises questions over medical transparency
Notably, Wangchuk was taken from Jantar Mantar, the protest site, to Safdarjung Hospital during a surprise operation by Delhi Police on Saturday morning. As per Angmo, he has continued his hunger strike despite being admitted to the hospital.
In a public statement, Angmo alleged that the hospital failed to reveal crucial medical information, adding that doctors informed the family that Wangchuk’s potassium level had dipped to 2.9, describing the situation as serious and potentially life threatening.
Angmo's tweet
However, she said the hospital’s public health bulletin merely referred to ‘decreasing potassium levels’ without revealing the actual figure.
Furthermore, she asserted that an independent laboratory test recorded his potassium level at 3.5, which falls within the normal range.
Angmo then claimed repeated requests to either discharge Wangchuk or refer him to a private healthcare facility had been denied. She said the movement inside the hospital was heavily restricted, with more than 100 police personnel deployed on the premises, including 30 officers on the floor where Wangchuk is admitted.
Meanwhile, authorities at the Safdarjung Hospital have maintained that Wangchuk is stable despite signs of dehydration and said he has declined medical treatment.
Protest shifts focus towards Parliament march
An educator and long-time activist, Wangchuk has led several protests and fasts over issues concerning Ladakh and educational reforms. His latest hunger strike, which kicked off on June 28, 2026, was launched as part of the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) protest over the alleged NEET UG 2026 paper leak, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
A still from Wangchuk's hunger strike
With Parliament’s Monsoon session set to begin on Monday, the movement is now expected to shift its focus to Parliament. As Wangchuk remains hospitalised, Angmo has announced that she will lead the planned march on his behalf.