Indian activist Sonam Wangchuk calls off hunger strike over exam paper leak row

Indian activist Sonam Wangchuk has ended his 26-day hunger strike after the Indian government assured him that key demands linked to the country's examination paper leak controversy would be addressed, even as youth-led protests calling for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan continued.

Wangchuk, 59, announced his decision from a hospital bed, saying he ended the fast after discussions with two senior ministers in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.

According to Wangchuk, the government agreed to raise the issue of accountability in India's examination system in parliament, provide compensation to families of students who died by suicide following the alleged paper leaks, and refrain from registering cases against students who participated in recent protests in New Delhi.

In a post on X, Wangchuk said he concluded the hunger strike after "a long negotiation on various conditions" and to prevent any possible escalation of violence.