What happened

The Delhi High Court directed that activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was on the 19th day of an indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar, must be checked regularly by government doctors.

The court acted after hearing that Wangchuk’s condition had become critical. The hearing arose from a public interest petition filed by activist-lawyer Rakesh Kumar Saini.

Why the court intervened

The court was told that Wangchuk had lost more than 9 kg. Doctors also feared that his body had begun to break down muscle tissue and could soon start affecting vital organs.

The Union government told the court that Wangchuk was already receiving daily health checks and that any required medical intervention would be arranged if doctors recommended it.