Indian activist Wangchuk ends 26-day hunger strike

A screengrab from a social media video released on July 22, 2026 shows Indian social activist Sonam Wangchuk, who says in the video that he will end hunger strike if government assures no action against students. Sonam Wangchuk via X/REUTERS TV via REUTERS

July 23 (Reuters) - ⁠Indian activist Sonam ⁠Wangchuk has ended ‌his hunger strike after 26 days, he said on ​Friday.

He said in ⁠a post ⁠on X that he had ⁠ended ‌his fast after "a long ⁠negotiation on various conditions ​and ‌in view of possible ⁠violence ​in the country".

Wangchuk, 59, had been on ⁠a hunger strike ​since June 28 in solidarity with India's youth-led "cockroach ⁠movement" that is demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra ​Pradhan over ⁠medical college entrance test ​paper leaks.

(Reporting ‌by Gursimran Kaur ​in Bengaluru; Editing by Mark Porter)