White Sheets, Civilian Clothes: Inside Delhi Police's 3-Layer Ops To Remove Wangchuk From Jantar Mantar

Delhi Police followed a carefully planned strategy aimed at avoiding confrontation and ensuring Sonam Wangchuk's transfer to Safdarjung Hospital.

Activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike for 21 days, waves as he is shifted to a hospital from Jantar Mantar on July 18.

Source : PTI

Show Quick Read

Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

• Police cited court orders and medical advice for transfer.

Delhi Police carried out a carefully coordinated early-morning operation on Saturday to shift climate activist Sonam Wangchuk from the Jantar Mantar protest site to Safdarjung Hospital after his health deteriorated during his indefinite hunger strike, according to senior police sources.

The operation was reportedly finalised at a high-level meeting held after the new Delhi Police Commissioner, Anurag Kumar, assumed charge.

Operation Timed To Avoid Confrontation

According to a report by news agency ANI, senior officers decided to carry out the operation at daybreak, when the number of protesters at the site was at its lowest.

The timing also coincided with a brief period when Wangchuk's close aide, Abhijit Dipke, had stepped away from the protest venue, leaving the stage without its primary coordinator.

Around 30 to 35 personnel from the New Delhi district's Special Staff and local police, dressed in plain clothes, quietly entered the barricaded protest area.

The operation was conducted on a strict need-to-know basis, with only a handful of senior officers aware of the complete strategy. Inspectors and most personnel deployed on the ground were instructed only to report to the protest site without being informed of the full operational plan beforehand, ANI reported, citing police sources.

Three-Layer Security Plan

Police personnel surrounded Wangchuk's bed and covered it with large white sheets from all four sides before escorting him away from the stage, sources said. The measure was intended to prevent crowd mobilisation and minimise any commotion.

The operation was carried out in three layers.

Plainclothes officers first secured the stage and removed Wangchuk. In the second layer, personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) held back protesters outside the barricaded area to prevent confrontation, the report said.

The third layer comprised senior Delhi Police officers, who monitored the operation from a control point near the ambulance and police vehicles.

Once Wangchuk was placed inside the ambulance, traffic police ensured a clear route to Safdarjung Hospital.

Police Cite Medical Advice, Court Directions

Soon after the operation, Dipke returned to the protest site and alleged that Wangchuk had been removed in his absence. He announced that he would continue the protest by observing a hunger strike.

Delhi Police, however, maintained that the operation was carried out peacefully and with maximum restraint.

"As per orders of Hon'ble High Court and on expert medical advise due to the deteriorating health condition of Sh. Sonam Wangchuk, he has been shifted to the hospital for essential medical care. While complying with the orders of Hon'ble High Court the protestors tried to create obstruction, in which slight commotion ensued, however police took maximum restrain and undertook the exercise safely. We request the protestors at Jantar Mantar to peacefully vacate the place at the earliest," the Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) said in a statement.

Wangchuk was admitted to Safdarjung Hospital on Saturday morning after his health deteriorated on the 21st day of his indefinite hunger strike.