Cockroach Janta Party Founder Abhijit Dipke sitting on hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on July 18, 2026.
| Photo Credit: Sushil Kumar Verma
Shortly after the Delhi police moved activist Sonam Wangchuk to the hospital, Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke announced on Saturday (July 18, 2026), that he is beginning an indefinite hunger strike.
“I am starting an indefinite hunger strike beginning right now,” he said in a post on X.
Read live updates from the ongoing protest at Jantar Mantar here
Mr. Dipke’s announcement came as the New Delhi DCP’s office said that Mr. Wangchuk has been shifted to the hospital for “essential medical care” as per the orders of the Delhi High Court and on expert medical advise due to his deteriorating health condition.
Following the police action, Mr. Dipke alleged that he had been beaten up and detained by Delhi Police during what he described as a crackdown on protesters at Jantar Mantar. Police has appealed to protesters to peacefully vacate the site.
Mr. Wangchuk has been on a hunger strike for the past 21 days, demanding Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over the alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG exam paper leak controversy.
Meanwhile, three students from the CPI(ML) Liberation’s All India Students’ Association (AISA) — Neha, Aameen and Manish — remain at Jantar Mantar and will continue their fast for the 21st day, N. Sai Balaji, former AISA president said.
With inputs from PTI
Published – July 18, 2026 10:06 am IST
