Activist and scientist Sonam Wangchuk was taken to AIIMS Jodhpur on Saturday morning after his health deteriorated while he was in judicial custody, following directions issued by the Supreme Court.
According to The New Indian Express, Wangchuk was brought from Jodhpur Central Jail to the emergency ward of AIIMS at around 6.30 am on January 31. He was kept under medical observation for nearly one-and-a-half hours and examined by a gastroenterologist before being escorted back to jail under tight security.
Hospital sources told TNIE that Wangchuk is suffering from stomach-related ailments and has complained of pain in several parts of his body. He had also been taken to AIIMS Jodhpur a day earlier for medical tests, Reported TNIE.
The medical examination followed concerns raised in the Supreme Court by Wangchuk’s wife, who moved a petition through senior advocate Kapil Sibal, citing a steady decline in his health while in custody. According to The New Indian Express, the plea highlighted that Wangchuk’s condition had worsened over time and required specialised medical attention.
During a hearing on Thursday, January 29, a bench comprising Justices Arvind Kumar and P.B. Varale directed the jail authorities to ensure that Wangchuk was examined by a specialist doctor from a government hospital. The court also asked the authorities to submit his medical report by February 2, TNIE reported.
Sibal informed the court that Wangchuk was experiencing stomach problems, allegedly due to the quality of drinking water provided in jail. He submitted that despite repeated complaints, no specialist doctor had been made available for proper treatment. The counsel further sought directions for weekly medical check-ups and requested that clean drinking water supplied by Wangchuk’s family be permitted.
Appearing for the Rajasthan government, Additional Solicitor General K.M. Nataraj told the bench that Wangchuk had been receiving regular medical care. According to TNIE, Nataraj said that jail doctors had examined him 21 times over the past four months and that his condition was being monitored.
AIIMS sources indicated that the examination on Saturday focused on Wangchuk’s gastrointestinal complaints, along with other reported physical discomforts. After the assessment, he was returned to Jodhpur Central Jail, where he continues to remain in judicial custody.
Educationist and environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk was detained in September last year following protests in Leh over Ladakh’s constitutional status. According to The New Indian Express, the agitation later turned violent, resulting in the deaths of four people. Wangchuk has remained in custody since his detention and has now spent over 100 days in jail under the National Security Act.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to review Wangchuk’s medical report once it is submitted by the authorities, as directed earlier this week, TNIE reported.
(With inputs from The New Indian Express)
