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Sources said that Wangchuk has been suffering from persistent gastrointestinal issues and acute body pain
Wangchuk, a Ramon Magsaysay awardee and the prominent face of the movement demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule safeguards for Ladakh, was detained on September 26, 2025. File pic/PTI
Activist and scientist Sonam Wangchuk was taken to AIIMS Jodhpur following a sharp decline in his health while in judicial custody. The 59-year-old innovator, who has been held at the Jodhpur Central Jail since late September 2025, was escorted to the hospital under heavy security after a direct intervention by the Supreme Court of India.
Sources at AIIMS Jodhpur confirmed that Wangchuk has been suffering from persistent gastrointestinal issues and acute body pain. He was brought to the hospital at approximately 6.30 am on Saturday through a rear entrance to avoid public crowds and was immediately attended to by a team of specialists in the gastroenterology department.
The transfer follows a series of warnings from Wangchuk’s family regarding the lack of adequate medical facilities within the prison. His wife, Gitanjali Angmo, moved a petition in the apex court alleging that the quality of drinking water provided at Jodhpur Central Jail was contaminated, leading to her husband’s chronic stomach ailments. While the Rajasthan government’s counsel argued that jail doctors had examined the activist 21 times in the past four months, Wangchuk’s legal team, led by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, maintained that these routine check-ups were insufficient and that specialist care was a constitutional necessity.
Taking note of the “steadily deteriorating” condition of the detainee, a bench comprising Justices Arvind Kumar and PB Varale had directed the jail administration on Thursday to arrange an immediate examination by a government hospital specialist. The court has requested a detailed medical report in a sealed cover to be submitted by Monday.
Wangchuk remains in custody under the stringent National Security Act (NSA), invoked following violent protests in Leh, Ladakh, in September last year. Authorities accused him of inciting the unrest. His detention has sparked widespread international concern, as his supporters maintain that he was peacefully demanding constitutional safeguards for Ladakh’s fragile ecosystem under the Sixth Schedule.
After undergoing approximately 90 minutes of tests and observation, Wangchuk was returned to Jodhpur Central Jail on Saturday morning. His legal team is expected to use the forthcoming medical report to push for interim bail or a transfer to a facility with better sanitation and healthcare.
February 02, 2026, 03:03 IST
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