The 24-hour standoff between Delhi and Himachal Pradesh police concluded as Himachal Pradesh allowed three arrested Youth Congress activists, involved in a “shirtless protest” at the AI Summit, to be taken to the national capital. Initially, Himachal Police had registered a kidnapping case against Delhi police and detained them at the Shogi border near Shimla along with the activists.
Following a late-night development, the accused activists, accompanied by Delhi Police personnel, were taken to the residence of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Ekansh Kapil after a medical examination at Deendyal Upadhyay Zonal Hospital. Subsequently, the Delhi Police personnel were held in the state capital, with some allowed to return to Delhi with the accused.
Remaining police personnel were instructed to stay behind and assist in the investigation of the kidnapping case. Himachal police confiscated a Delhi Police vehicle containing CCTV footage and other evidence, despite Delhi Police’s assertion that the vehicle carried digital evidence, documents, and arms.
The arrested leaders hailed from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Around 20 Delhi police personnel were detained for apprehending the Youth Congress leaders from Rohru town in Shimla district. The Shimla Police arrested the policemen after a Delhi Police team arrested the leaders and was on its way back to Delhi before being intercepted by the state police near Dharampur town in Solan district.
Congress lawmaker Kuldeep Rathore urged the state government to take strict action against Delhi Police, condemning the police’s actions as an attempt to stifle dissent. Rathore criticized the Central government, emphasizing that the country does not belong to any single party and highlighting the opposition’s role in voicing public concerns.
