SHIMLA/NEW DELHI — A high-voltage standoff between the Delhi and Shimla police forces finally concluded on Thursday morning, February 26, 2026, ending a 24-hour jurisdictional battle that saw police personnel “detaining” one another at state borders. The stalemate resolved around 4:00 AM at the Shoghi border, allowing a Delhi Police team to transport three arrested Youth Congress activists back to the national capital.
The conflict stems from the “shirtless protest” held on February 20 at the Bharat Mandapam during the high-profile AI Impact Summit. Delhi Police identified three activists—Saurabh, Siddharth, and Arbaz—who had allegedly fled to the Rohru subdivision of Shimla district. Following their arrest from a local resort on Wednesday morning, the Shimla police intercepted the Delhi team, accusing them of “kidnapping” and failing to follow proper interstate arrest protocols.
Legal Maneuvering and Midnight Court Drama
The situation escalated on Wednesday evening when Shimla police registered a kidnapping FIR against 15–20 unidentified individuals in plain clothes (the Delhi team) for forcibly removing the activists and seizing CCTV evidence without providing a receipt. As the Delhi team attempted to leave with the accused, they were “detained” for five hours at the Shogi border.
In a rare midnight legal proceeding, the Delhi Police produced the three accused before Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM II) Ekansh Kapil at 1:30 AM on Thursday. Despite fierce opposition from the defense, who labeled the detention illegal, the magistrate granted transit remand to the Delhi Police. However, even with court orders in hand, the team was stopped again at Kanlog and Shoghi by Shimla police demanding access to digital evidence and the keys to a barricaded police vehicle.
Political Fallout and Security Breaches
The standoff ended only after the Delhi Police shared a copy of their seizure memo with local authorities, though they refused to hand over physical evidence or their vehicles. ACP Rahul Vikram stated that the Shimla police had no legal authority to seize their digital evidence without a formal written request.
The incident has triggered a political firestorm in Himachal Pradesh:
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Opposition Critique: Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur slammed the Himachal government, accusing Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu of “protecting individuals who tarnished India’s international image” to gain political favor.
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Government Stance: CM Sukhu previously termed the Delhi Police’s actions, including a Saturday midnight raid on Himachal Sadan in Delhi, as “unfortunate and unconstitutional.“
The three activists have now been brought to Delhi, where they will be produced before a local magistrate to seek further police remand. To date, 11 individuals have been arrested in connection with the February 20 protest, which prompted a massive security review after activists bypassed cordons to demonstrate during the international summit.
