High-Stakes Standoff Between Delhi and Himachal Police Ends with Arrests
Dramatic Arrests in Shimla
The intense standoff between the Delhi Police and Himachal Pradesh Police in Shimla concluded on Thursday morning, February 26, 2026, after lasting between 20 to 24 hours. A team from Delhi Police was attempting to transport three Youth Congress activists to Delhi when they were intercepted by the Himachal Police, who made several attempts to detain them. Ultimately, after legal procedures were followed, the Delhi Police successfully departed with the three individuals.
This incident is linked to a shirtless protest that occurred on February 20, 2026, during the India AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. Some Youth Congress members protested by removing their shirts and chanting against the government and the India-US trade agreement. So far, 11 Youth Congress activists have been arrested, including Uday Bhanu Chib, the national president of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC).
On the morning of February 25, a 20-member special cell from the Delhi Police apprehended three Youth Congress activists—Saurabh Singh (Uttar Pradesh), Arbaaz Khan (Uttar Pradesh), and Siddharth Avadhut (Madhya Pradesh)—from a hotel/resort in the Chidgaon area of the Rohru sub-division in Shimla district. This operation was based on technical surveillance and prior intelligence. After the arrests, the team headed towards Delhi but was halted by the Himachal Pradesh Police in the Solan district's Dharmapur area, which claimed the arrests were unlawful and that the suspects were being forcibly taken without due process.
The Himachal Police filed a kidnapping case against the Delhi team, alleging that they had taken the resort's CCTV DVR without a seizure memo. The Delhi Police team was stopped near the Shoghi barrier, leading to a heated exchange between officers from both states. The Himachal Police detained the Delhi team and brought them before the Shimla district court.
The Shimla Police presented the three suspects in court, but the magistrate requested detailed documentation of the entire process and granted a 24-hour period for review. Late at night, the three individuals underwent a medical examination at the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Zonal Hospital. They were then presented at the residence of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM II) Akansh Kapil, where a transit remand was granted. However, the Delhi team was stopped again in the Kanlog area on Thursday morning, but eventually, after adhering to legal protocols, they were allowed to proceed with the three suspects.
This incident highlights the political tensions between the central government and the Congress-led Himachal Pradesh. The Delhi Police asserted that the arrests were entirely legal, with serious charges against the suspects, including rioting and inciting enmity. In contrast, the Himachal Police cited procedural violations. The three suspects are now expected to be presented in the Patiala House Court in Delhi, where an extension of their police custody may be requested.