A high-voltage standoff between the police groups of Delhi and Shimla got here to an finish after a dramatic 24 hours on Thursday (February 26, 2026) morning, after the Delhi Police staff was lastly cleared to go again to the nationwide capital together with the three Youth Congress activists arrested in reference to the “shirtless protest” on the AI Summit. Within the 24-hour stalemate, the Delhi Police staff was “detained” for about 5 hours even after procuring the transit remand from the ACJM.
On Wednesday (February 25, 2026), the Himachal Pradesh Police registered a kidnapping case towards the Delhi Police personnel and “detained” their automobiles on the Shogi border close to Shimla. This occurred whereas they have been en path to the nationwide capital with the three Youth Congress members in custody.
The three accused, together with the members of the Delhi Police, have been taken to the residence of ACJM II Ekansh Kapil at 1.30 a.m. after present process medical examinations on the Deendyal Upadhyay Zonal Hospital in Shimla late Wednesday (February 25, 2026) night time. Afterwards, they resumed their journey.
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Nevertheless, early Thursday (February 26, 2026) morning, the Delhi Police staff was detained once more at Kanlog. The police staff was instructed to return to the nationwide capital with the accused, together with a number of extra police personnel, whereas the remaining members have been requested to to remain behind and cooperate with the investigation into the kidnapping case towards them.
The Shimla police additionally requested the Delhi staff at hand over the copy of the digital proof they possessed, which had allegedly been gathered after they picked up the activists in Rohru.
The Delhi Police insisted that the security of the three accused was their accountability and that they’d not go away any of their members behind. They later continued their motion in direction of Shoghi.
On the Shoghi border, nonetheless, the Delhi staff was detained but once more by the Shimla police at 4 a.m.. In the meantime, the Shimla police barricaded a car belonging to the Delhi Police, which is believed to comprise CCTV footage and different proof. The Delhi Police said that this car holds digital proof, accompanying paperwork, and arms.
Through the standoff, the Shimla police sought the keys to the barricaded car, however the Delhi Police refused at hand them over.
A personnel from the Delhi Police knowledgeable the Shimla police {that a} seizure memo had been supplied and that the related paperwork have been proven to the ACJM, primarily based on which they have been granted transit remand.
The Delhi Police said that they acquired 18 hours of transit remand, of which 4.5 hours have already elapsed.
Each the Delhi and Shimla police groups declined to remark to the media. The details about the standoff was gathered primarily based on what the PTI reporter on the scene noticed and heard. Talking to the media earlier, advocate for the accused, Sandeep Dutta, said that the arrest was unlawful as a result of the right procedures weren’t adopted. He opposed the transit remand on the grounds of unlawful detention and the dearth of correct documentation.
Advocate Nand Lal, representing the Delhi Police, said that the transit remand utility was introduced and permitted.
The battle started on Wednesday (February 25, 2026) morning when members of the Delhi Police arrested the three Youth Congress activists, linked to the February 20 protest on the AI Impression Summit, from a resort within the Chirgaon space of Rohru subdivision in Shimla district. They have been intercepted by native police and introduced again to Shimla.
Three police automobiles ferrying the accused — Saurabh, Siddharth and Arbaz — who’re allegedly not residents of the State, have been intercepted in Shimla and Solan district and subsequently produced earlier than an area courtroom.
On Wednesday (February 25, 2026) night, when the Delhi Police tried as soon as extra to move the accused to New Delhi, they have been stopped once more on the Shoghi border, roughly 15 km from Shimla. This case created inconvenience for commuters as a result of standoff between the 2 police groups.
“A case has been registered towards 15-20 unknown individuals in plain garments for forcibly taking three individuals staying in a resort in Rohru. In addition they took the CCTV put in within the resort with them and didn’t give any receipt,” the Shimla police mentioned in an announcement.
Whereas the Delhi Police asserted that they’d obtained the required transit remand, the Himachal Police claimed that no documentation was introduced and deemed the operation unlawful, alleging a procedural lapse in not notifying the native police earlier than making an arrest.
Each the Shimla and Delhi police accused each other of obstructing the investigation.
In a purported video that appeared from the Shogi border within the suburbs of Shimla metropolis, the Delhi Cops have been heard saying that they’d arrested three individuals within the morning in reference to an FIR registered on February 20.
“We’ve to supply the accused arrested at 5 a.m. as we speak within the courtroom in 24 hours, and you’ve got stopped us after registering an FIR at 8 p.m.,” a Delhi Police officer might be heard saying.
Nevertheless, Shimla Police maintained {that a} case of abduction had been filed, alleging that the Delhi Police was hampering their investigation. “I requested you for authorized documentation within the morning, however you neither confirmed any doc nor supplied the FIR quantity,” a Shimla Police officer might be heard replying. In an announcement issued in Shimla, Chief of Opposition within the Himachal Pradesh Meeting Jai Ram Thakur mentioned, “It’s shameful to supply safety in Himachal Pradesh to people from outdoors Himachal Pradesh who’ve tried to tarnish the nation’s picture internationally.” Mr. Thakur accused Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu of participating in ‘politics of anarchy’ to win favour with Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, claiming the Himachal Pradesh Police ought to have cooperated with the Delhi Police on this interstate operation, however as an alternative tried to detain them.
The “shirtless protest” at Bharat Mandapam on February 20 prompted a major safety response, with police earlier invoking fees together with rioting and selling enmity beneath related provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The Indian Youth Congress (IYC) president, Uday Bhanu Chib, and former nationwide spokesperson, Bhudev Sharma, have been arrested in reference to the case on Tuesday (February 24, 2026). Each have been subsequently produced earlier than a Delhi courtroom and remanded to police custody for interrogation.
Based on the Delhi Police, a complete of 11 individuals have been arrested to date.
On Saturday (February 21, 2026) midnight, Delhi Police raided Himachal Sadan within the nationwide capital amid reviews that IYC staff who had participated within the protest have been supplied lodging there.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhu termed the motion “unlucky and towards constitutional process.”
Revealed – February 26, 2026 06:34 am IST
