NEW DELHI — Geetanjali Negi, the wife of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, has accused Delhi Police of placing her husband under “illegal detention” inside a city hospital.
Wangchuk, who led a march from Ladakh to the capital demanding constitutional safeguards for the region, was hospitalized late Tuesday after his health deteriorated during a hunger strike. Negi claims that while the stated intent was medical treatment, the reality is a heavy-handed security cordon designed to silence him.
“There are over 100 police personnel stationed at the hospital,” Negi told reporters Wednesday morning. “He isn’t being allowed to meet anyone. This isn’t medical care; it’s a prison cell with a hospital bed.”
The situation escalated after Wangchuk and his group of marchers were detained at the Delhi border on September 30. They were attempting to reach the capital to push for the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution—a demand they argue is vital to protect the fragile Himalayan ecosystem and local indigenous culture.
Delhi Police officials have denied claims of mistreatment. A senior officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, maintained that the presence of security personnel is a standard protocol to prevent public disorder and ensure the activist’s safety while he remains under medical observation.
“He is receiving the necessary treatment,” the officer said, declining to comment on the specific restrictions on visitors.
The move has sparked immediate backlash from political figures and environmental groups. Critics argue the government is using administrative overreach to stifle dissent from a region that has become a flashpoint for ecological concerns. For Wangchuk, a recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award, the standoff is a continuation of a long-running battle between local autonomy and central authority.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the hospital premises remained under heavy guard. With no clear timeline for his discharge or the status of his detention, the standoff suggests the government is bracing for a protracted conflict with the Ladakh-based movement.
Wangchuk remains inside, his access to the outside world effectively severed.
