24-Hour Delhi–Shimla Police Standoff Ends After Dramatic Night Over AI Summit Protest Arrests
A high-voltage 24-hour standoff between the Delhi Police and Himachal Pradesh Police ended early Thursday (February 26, 2026), after the Delhi Police team was finally allowed to return to the national capital with three Youth Congress activists arrested in connection with the “shirtless protest” at the AI Impact Summit.
- Samsung Launches Galaxy S26 Series With Advanced Galaxy AI, Industry-Leading Camera and Built-In Privacy Display
- Excise Policy Case: Delhi Court Discharges Kejriwal, Sisodia and 21 Others; Raps CBI Over “Misleading” Chargesheet
- Delhi vs Himachal Police Clash | 24 Hour Standoff Over AI Summit Protest | Breaking News 2026
- The Kerala Story 2 Makers Refuse Court Screening, Kerala High Court Hearing Continues
- ₹590 Crore Fraud at IDFC First Bank: Forged Cheques Scam Raises Serious Questions
The confrontation began on Wednesday (February 25) when Delhi Police arrested three activists — Saurabh, Siddharth, and Arbaz — from a hotel in Rohru’s Chirgaon area in Shimla district. The arrests were linked to an FIR registered on February 20 regarding the protest at Bharat Mandapam.
Kidnapping Case Registered
Soon after the arrests, the Himachal Pradesh Police registered a kidnapping case against 15–20 unidentified individuals in plain clothes, alleging that the three activists were forcibly taken without proper documentation and that CCTV equipment from the resort was seized without receipt.
Delhi Police, however, maintained that they had secured transit remand from the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) and were legally transporting the accused to Delhi.
Border Detentions and Vehicle Barricade
Despite obtaining 18 hours of transit remand, the Delhi Police team was allegedly detained for nearly five hours during the 24-hour deadlock.
The situation escalated at the Shoghi border near Shimla around 4 a.m., where Himachal Police barricaded a Delhi Police vehicle believed to contain CCTV footage, digital evidence, documents, and arms. Shimla Police sought the vehicle keys, but Delhi Police refused, stating that a proper seizure memo had been presented before the ACJM.
The Delhi team was also stopped earlier at Kanlog and instructed to leave some officers behind for investigation into the kidnapping case — a condition they declined, asserting responsibility for the safety of the accused and their personnel.
Legal and Political Reactions
Advocate Sandeep Dutta, representing the accused, termed the arrest illegal, citing procedural lapses and lack of documentation. Meanwhile, Advocate Nand Lal, appearing for Delhi Police, confirmed that transit remand had been legally approved.
Leader of Opposition in Himachal Pradesh, Jai Ram Thakur, criticized the state government, accusing it of politicizing the matter. He alleged that the Himachal Police should have cooperated in the interstate operation.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu described earlier police actions in Delhi as “unfortunate” and against constitutional procedure.
Background
The February 20 “shirtless protest” at Bharat Mandapam led to serious charges under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including rioting and promoting enmity.
Delhi Police stated that 11 individuals have been arrested so far in connection with the case. The arrests also include Indian Youth Congress leaders earlier taken into custody.
Both police forces declined official comment, and details of the standoff were based on on-ground observations.