Student leader Devendra Nath Mahato, on hunger strike in Jharkhand over exam-related demands, drank water on the fourth day of his fast after activist Sonam Wangchuk asked him to. During a phone call, Wangchuk urged him to drink water, and afterwards Mahato said he would consume only water and salt until the government responds to the protesters. Five more people have joined the fast.
Separately, the Supreme Court declined to entertain a plea challenging a resolution by the Supreme Court Bar Association supporting Wangchuk's hunger strike. The court said any grievance against the resolution can be best addressed through the democratic process under the association's rules.