Activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike for 21 days, waves as he is shifted to a hospital from Jantar Mantar, in New Delhi. (PTI Photo)It was about 6.30 am on Saturday. As most of Delhi was waking up, Prashanth Mishra, 48, a software professor based in Seattle, was about to take a sip of his morning coffee at the Cockroach Janta Party’s protest at Jantar Mantar — where he has been since coming to India over a month ago — when he suddenly noticed an unusual rush.A group of men carrying white sheets were approaching the stage where Ladhaki activist Sonam Wangchuk lay on a raised platform, entering his 20th day of hunger strike.“Abhijeet Dipke (CJP founder) had told me he was going to the restroom. So I and other members were watching over Sonam sir. The men reached the stage, some of them said they were doctors. But doctors were supposed to come only at 8.30 am, so I was alarmed,” says Prashanth.In the next 30 seconds, Prashanth watched as the group, who were policemen dressed in civilian dress, took over the stage, made a makeshift curtain with the white sheets, and whisked Wangchuk to Safdarjung Hospital.Police cited his ‘deteriorating health’ and a Delhi High Court order.Amid the chaos that unused, Dipke, who was away from the site when the police arrived, rushed back by 9 am. He alleged he was briefly detained by police while they took Wangchuk away.Rallying the protesters, Dipke announced that he will sit on hunger strike.“They took him like you take away criminals. They thought the andolan (movement) would lose steam without Sonam sir. Now, instead of him, I will sit on an indefinite hunger strike,” he announced.“It was not just shameless how they took Sonam ji away. The Delhi Police cited a Delhi High Court order about his health. But the court said (to admit him) if his condition was dire. Sonam sir was clear that he was stable. The medical reports show that his vitals are fine,” he said.Story continues below this adAbout an hour later, when social activist Yogendra Yadav reached the protest site and climbed the stage to show solidarity, Dipke was moved to tears.Holding a copy of the Constitution, he said, “If you’re concerned about Sonam sir, you would have taken him away with dignity. If you don’t join the Jantar Mantar (protest) even now, then nothing (good) can happen to this country,” he lamented as tears rolled down his eyes, as other CJP members stood behind him holding Wangchuk’s photo.Protesters, meanwhile, alleged they were manhandled.Also Read | ‘Security drill’, phone jammer and a white curtain: How Sonam Wangchuk was removedPrashant said he was dragged away. “My phone broke… Sonam sir was resisting the police. But he was forcibly taken away. I tried calling Dipke as he was out, and I suspected they might arrest him,” says Prasanth, showing some minor scratches on his body.Sonu, 27, who came two days ago from Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda to join the protest, said he was charging his phone when he saw men going towards Wangchuk.Story continues below this ad“They were kicking away the boards on the stage. When I came running to the stage, they told me ‘tumhara koi kaam nahi hai yaha (you don’t have any work here).”“I haven’t seen anything like this. It’s like one moment he was there, and then he was not. Once we removed the curtains on stage, only his book was left on his mattress,” he said.