A major drama unfolded in Shimla on Wednesday after the Himachal Pradesh Police arrested several personnel of the Delhi Police Special Cell and accused it of kidnapping three persons in connection with the shirt protest by the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in the capital on 20.
However, the tension eased on Thursday morning after the Delhi Police team left the Shoghi barrier with all their vehicles and the three accused.
“Delhi Police has left Shoghi Barrier in Shimla. Delhi Police has handed over the seizure record to Shimla Police. Delhi Police officials have taken the DVR with them and seized the vehicle of the accused. Now Delhi Police will produce the three accused before a local magistrate,” a Delhi Police official told ANI on Thursday.
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What we know about cops vs. cops
The two sides gave conflicting reports on Wednesday’s standoff.
Sources in the Special Cell of the Delhi Police told The Indian Express that a team had traveled to Himachal to nab the three suspects — all members of the IYC — from Shimla district.
However, when the Delhi Police team tried to produce the three accused before a local court in Shimla to seek transit custody, the Himachal Pradesh Police intervened.
Citing a source, IE said that after reaching the court, the Delhi Police team was informed that the court staff were not available for the required legal process.
Around that time, the Himachal Pradesh police also detained a Delhi police team for “hours” and asked officers from the national capital to provide a copy of the FIR against the accused as well as a copy of the court order authorizing the operation.
“We were told there that we were booked for kidnapping and were detained,” a source who is part of the Delhi Police team told IE.
However, the Himachal Pradesh Police claimed that two Delhi Police teams tried to re-enter their jurisdiction after the arrest of the three accused.
It was at this point that policemen from the capital were detained near Shimla and Dharampur before being produced before a Shimla court, IE reported quoting a senior Himachal Pradesh police officer.
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A Himachal officer said nearly 15-20 Delhi policemen led by ACP Rahul Vikram were detained around 8pm after they tried to leave the court around 7.30pm despite being asked not to.
Subsequently, in a statement released on Wednesday, the Shimla Police said that an FIR has been registered against the Delhi Police at Chirgaon Police Station.
“The Shimla Police received information on Wednesday morning that about 15 to 20 unidentified persons, dressed in civilian clothes, came in vehicles and allegedly forcibly took away three guests staying at a resort in Mandli area of Chirgaon,” Himachal Police said in a statement.
She also accused the Delhi Police team of removing digital video recorders (DVRs) from CCTV cameras at the resort from which they arrested the IYC trio.
Meanwhile, ACP Vikram told IE, “I don’t know in what capacity the Himachal police have arrested us. Two of the three suspects were directly involved in the shirtless protest, while one of them was involved in the conspiracy.”
Arrests continue
Before Wednesday’s drama, Delhi police arrested eight people in connection with a protest by IYC workers on February 20 at the AI Impact Summit 2026 in the capital, which was held in India.
Youth Congress workers arrested from Shimla namely Saurabh, Arbaaz and Siddharth are residents of Amethi, Sultanpur and Rewa respectively.
IYC president Uday Bhanu Chib is among those arrested.
