Protest at Medanta prompts tighter security around Sonam Wangchuk

Police said the protesters posed as patient attendants and left within 15 to 20 minutes after displaying placards inside the hospital.

Security has been heightened at Medanta Medicity Hospital in Sector-38, Gurugram, where activist Sonam Wangchuk is admitted, hours after two people, including a Samajwadi Party (SP) leader, allegedly managed to enter the premises and carry out a brief protest inside its premises in support of the student demonstration at Jantar Mantar, said police officials aware of the developments.

SWAT teams, anti-riot vehicles and additional police personnel have been deployed around the hospital for round-the-clock security. (PTI)

While police identified one of the protesters as SP leader Kishan Dixit, they have yet to identify the other person.

The incident took place around 1.30pm and came to light after videos were shared on social media. In it, the two protesters can be seen sitting in the inner courtyard on the ground floor, a two-minute walk from the entrance where police officials were carrying out checking and frisking of all those entering the building.

Dixit can be seen holding up a placard demanding the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, a key demand of the protesters at Jantar Mantar, while his associate is seen with a placard praying for Wangchuk’s health. The two slipped out within 15-20 minutes, police said.

Separately, police said, TMC MP Sagarika Ghose and, later, Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh along with at least 24 other parliamentarians from various Opposition parties, leaders, and workers were denied permission to meet Wangchuk.

Police said Ghose and MPs Vivek Tankha and John Brittas were allowed to meet Wangchuk and his wife at the hospital, following hospital protocols. Ghose later posted on X that she and several other parliamentarians urged Wangchuk to end the fast in the interest of the nation and students.

Wangchuk was shifted to Medanta late on Tuesday after the Delhi High Court permitted him to be shifted out of Safdarjung Hospital to a private facility in a plea filed by his wife, Dr Gitanjali Agmo. The activist has been on hunger strike since June 28in support of the students’ protest against NEET paper leaks, demanding the resignation of Pradhan. He was on Saturday removed from Jantar Mantar to Safdarjung by Delhi Police.

After the protest came to light, police said senior officials reached the spot and heightened the security at the the hospital, increasing deployment at all the entry and exit points.

DCP (east) Sandeep Kumar and at least three ACP rank officials were present at the spot to review the security arrangements.

A senior police official said that SWAT teams and anti-riot vehicles have been deployed around the hospital premises for round-the-clock security.

“Deployment of the number of police personnel has been increased from what was made on Tuesday after Wangchuk was brought here on Delhi high court’s order from Safdarjung hospital. Each and every visitor is being checked at the entrance and compliance of attendants wanting to meet patients admitted there have been made stern for the time being looking at the scenario,” the official said.

The officer said that the police teams are also deployed in and around the hospital in continuous coordination with the security team of the hospital.

According to police officials, Dixit and his associate had entered the hospital premises posing as patient attendants.

Dixit, on SP ticket, had unsuccessfully contested Uttar Pradesh assembly election from Varanasi (South) assembly constituency against BJP’s Neelkanth Tiwari in 2022.

In the videos, Dixit also said that Pradhan should resign over the NEET question paper leak and lathi-charge carried out by security forces against protesting students.

Meanwhile, in a media statement, the hospital said Wanchuk “is stable, oriented and his vital signs are within accepted parameters. All treatment being administered to him is in accordance with his informed consent.”