Sonam Wangchuk, famed for his glacier‑melting work in the Himalayas, posted on X that Delhi had turned into a fortress after police detained seven prominent protest leaders overnight.
The detainees include CJP leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, CPI(ML) Liberation Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, AISA president Neha Bora, activists Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan, and YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, all arrested for protesting alleged irregularities in the election process overseen by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Wangchuk had earlier staged a 26‑day hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in July; he ended it in front of Union ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh, signalling his long‑standing resistance to electoral malpractices.
He warned that if the detainees are not freed by Sunday, he will launch an Anshan fast or a padyatra march—an extended march that has historically been a powerful form of protest in India.
Delhi Police said the arrests were part of a crackdown ahead of the October 10 protest, citing public safety concerns and the need to maintain order in the capital.
The police’s decision on the detainees’ release will determine whether Wangchuk initiates the fast, potentially escalating tensions ahead of the national election.