Sonam Wangchuk ends hunger strike over leaked exam papers amid fear of violence.

Sonam Wangchuk, a well-known activist from India, has stopped his 26-day hunger strike. He demanded that Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan step down because of leaking exam papers. In a message posted late Thursday night on X, the 59-year-old man explained his decision to end the fast. He cited long negotiations over various conditions and the fear of possible violence across the country as reasons for stopping. Wangchuk promised to share the full list of demands in a separate video later.

The news arrived just after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke on X. The leader said he was working on new laws to punish those stealing exam papers. He also mentioned that fast-track courts would be used against offenders. The cabinet planned to discuss the issue on Friday. In his address, Modi called the leaks a "matter of great pain" for hundreds of thousands of students. Notably, he did not name Pradhan during this statement.

Wangchuk began his protest on June 28. He stood with India's youth-led Cockroach Janta Party. This group wants Pradhan to quit after medical college entrance test papers were leaked. Those leaks forced millions of students to retake the exams. Thousands of supporters for the party are still gathering at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar site. They have also appeared in cities across the nation. This challenge stands as one of the biggest tests for Modi since his 2024 re-election for a third term.

Unrest and violence marked recent days at Jantar Mantar. On Monday, police fired tear gas and charged with batons while demonstrators tried to march toward parliament. The situation escalated quickly after that clash. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have stepped in to condemn the government. They criticized the "excessive use of force" by police. Both groups also decried the suspension of mobile internet services at the protest site.

Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party, reacted immediately to Wangchuk ending his strike. He said he felt relieved and grateful that Sonam sir stopped fasting. "Thank you, sir, for your extraordinary courage and sacrifice," Dipke wrote on X. He added that putting one's own life on the line awakened the conscience of an entire nation. His message emphasized that such a life is far too precious to waste. Despite this victory for Wangchuk personally, Dipke stated clearly that peaceful protests at Jantar Mantar will continue until Dharmendra Pradhan resigns.