25 days of fast, 10 minutes with government: Inside Sonam Wangchuk's night at Medanta

Sonam Wangchuk was shifted from Safdarjung Hospital to Medanta after winning a High Court order allowing treatment at a hospital of his choice during the 25th day of his hunger strike.

In Short

• Sonam Wangchuk shifted from Safdarjung to Medanta amid heavy protests
• Activist on 25th day of hunger strike, remains stable and determined
• Ministers JP Nadda, Jitendra Singh visit him in Medanta ICU late night

On 21 July at 6.45 pm, as the streets of the national capital were under heavy pressure from two separate protests, an ambulance without sirens carried activist Sonam Wangchuk from Safdarjung Hospital to Medanta. The protests were taking place simultaneously, with the Opposition outside the Prime Minister’s residence, and students at Jantar Mantar.

The transfer came after what was described as a small victory for Wangchuk, who was shifted by the Delhi Police to Safdarjung Hospital on July 18, the 21st day of his indefinite hunger strike at the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest. He had won his case in the High Court and was being moved to a hospital of his choice.

Later that night, Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh visited him in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Medanta Hospital in Gurugram, where he remains under medical watch on day 25 of his fast and is firm on continuing it.

The journey from Safdarjung to Medanta, a distance of about 24 kilometres, usually takes around an hour on a regular weekday. On Sunday, it took more than two hours as the city was blocked and traffic moved slowly. After he arrived at Medanta, the doctors who examined him said he was stable and in good spirits.

At around 11.30 pm, Nadda and Singh reached Medanta and went to ICU 8, where Wangchuk was being kept. Doctors were asked to step out. What was discussed during the ten-minute meeting is not known. The two leaders, one engaged in outreach to the Opposition and the other to students, met Wangchuk before leaving about ten minutes later.

A panel of doctors is monitoring Wangchuk and fresh blood tests have been ordered. Reports are expected through the day. If the results are satisfactory, he could be shifted to a private ward by Wednesday evening.

Doctors are watching his potassium and sodium levels most closely, as these will be key to his condition. After 25 days without food, the body first uses stored sugar and then shifts to burning fat. Because the body, especially the brain, still needs glucose, it begins breaking down muscle and converting protein into sugar. This is why prolonged fasting causes muscle loss as well as weight loss.

Electrolyte levels can also become unstable. Sodium and potassium are essential for heart function and nerve activity, and a sharp fall in potassium can lead to irregular heart rhythms. Doctors are also being cautious about how a long fast is ended because introducing food too quickly can cause refeeding syndrome, in which sudden electrolyte shifts place stress on the heart.

For now, Wangchuk remains under observation at Medanta, stable and determined to continue his fast. The outcome of his blood reports, along with any developments following the late-night meeting in ICU 8, will determine the next course of events.

- Ends