Delhi Police used white sheets to shift Sonam Wangchuk to hospital: Sources

Delhi Police shifted activist Sonam Wangchuk to a government hospital after his health deteriorated during a 20-day hunger strike. Police sources said the overnight operation involved plainclothes personnel, white sheets and planned security measures following Delhi High Court directions

New Delhi: White sheets, plainclothes police personnel and a plan to deploy network jammers marked Delhi Police’s operation to shift activist Sonam Wangchuk to a government hospital on Saturday after his health deteriorated during a 20-day hunger strike, police sources said.

The pre-planned operation was carried out after being drawn up overnight following directions from the Delhi High Court and medical advice recommending Wangchuk’s hospitalisation, they said.

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According to the sources, senior officers received instructions from Police Headquarters around 1.30 am to ensure that Wangchuk underwent a medical examination and was admitted to a hospital.

Soon afterwards, senior officers of the New Delhi district assembled at Mandir Marg police station to chalk out the operation.

A police source said a security drill was conducted to assess how Wangchuk could be shifted “without confrontation” in less than a minute.

The officers also discussed deploying network jammers around the protest site to prevent the rapid circulation of videos during the operation, the source said.

Around 5 am, senior officers gathered near Jantar Mantar for a final briefing. The Deputy Commissioner of Police, New Delhi, briefed the personnel before the operation commenced, the source said.

According to the source, plainclothes police personnel carrying large white sheets moved towards the stage where Wangchuk was on a hunger strike.

On receiving a signal from senior officers, they covered the stage with the sheets before shifting the activist to an ambulance waiting nearby.

The sheets were used to prevent members of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and others from recording and circulating videos of Wangchuk’s removal, the source said.

“If visuals of Sonam Wangchuk being shifted to hospital had gone viral immediately, it could have led to a large gathering at Jantar Mantar,” the source said.

With Parliament’s Monsoon Session beginning next week, Delhi Police was keen to ensure that no crowd gathered at the protest site, the source added.

There was brief commotion during the operation, with police claiming that some protesters attempted to obstruct the implementation of the High Court’s directions.

In a statement, Delhi Police said Wangchuk was shifted for essential medical care on the advice of medical experts.

“As per the orders of the Hon’ble High Court and on expert medical advice, due to the deteriorating health condition of Sh. Sonam Wangchuk, he has been shifted to the hospital for essential medical care,” the statement said.

Police also denied allegations by some protesters that force was used during the operation.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Sachin Sharma told PTI that Wangchuk was shifted in accordance with the High Court’s order after his health deteriorated.

“Following the directions of the High Court and according to his health condition and medical advice, we have taken Sonam Wangchuk to the appropriate government hospital. It was a much-needed medical intervention under medical supervision,” he said.

Sources said Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar reviewed the situation at Police Headquarters on Friday and directed senior officers to ensure that law and order was maintained across the entire city.

Security was later intensified in and around Jantar Mantar, across parts of the New Delhi district, and at Safdarjung Hospital, where Wangchuk was admitted. Heavy deployment of Delhi Police personnel and paramilitary forces, along with barricading at key locations, was put in place to regulate the movement of protesters and visitors and prevent any untoward incident, officials said.