Delhi Vs Himachal Police Face-off Over 'unauthorised' Arrest Of Shirtless Protest Accused

Shimla: After a dramatic confrontation between police forces of two states, about 20 personnel of the Special Cell of Delhi Police were "detained" by Himachal Pradesh Police on Wednesday night, while heading back to the national capital after arresting three Indian Youth Congress members in connection with the ‘shirtless’ protest at the AI Impact summit.

Why did the Himachal Pradesh police detain Delhi police?

The episode started when the Delhi Police arrested three Youth Congress members (IYC), Saurabh, Siddharth and Arbaz, from a hotel in Shimla in connection with the 'shirtless protest' at the AI Impact Summit in the national capital on February 20. 

After the arrest of three individuals, the Himachal Pradesh authorities on Wednesday intercepted three vehicles of the Special Cell of Delhi Police in Shoghi (near Shimla) and Dharampur (in Solan district) for failing to follow mandatory inter-state arrest protocols. 

The Himachal Pradesh authorities insisted that the suspects could not be taken out of the state without transit remand from a local court.

In the video from the scene, Delhi Police Special Cell ACP Rahul Vikram can be seen telling Himachal officers: "We have arrested three people. You are preventing a government employee from working."

And Himachal Pradesh Police officer can be heard responding: "We have filed a case against you. You are kidnapping three people. You should join the investigation."

What did Himachal Police say?

Shimla police issued a statement on Wednesday night, stating that a case has been registered under BNS sections 190 (unlawful assembly), 329(4) (house trespass), 127(2) (wrongful confinement), 140(3) kidnapping, 305 (theft in house)against the Delhi police personnel at the Chirgaon police station in Rohru. 

"This morning, the Shimla police received information that around 15 to 20 persons, dressed in plain clothes, arrived in vehicles and forcibly took away three individuals/guests who were staying at a resort in Chirgaon," said the statement.

A senior Himachal Pradesh police official, said that, "The Himachal Police were neither informed nor taken into confidence before the arrests were carried out."

"Of the three vehicles, two were intercepted in Shoghi while the third was intercepted near Dharampur," said the official.

Were they present before court?

And later, Delhi officers and the IYC workers were subsequently produced in a court in Shimla.

After medical examinations were conducted, the accused were presented before an Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate. And the court granted Delhi Police transit remand, permitting them to take the activists to New Delhi for further investigation.

Was Delhi Police stopped multiple times?

After securing the court’s approval, the Delhi Police resumed its journey to leave the Himachal Pradesh with the detainees but were again stopped at Kanlog in Shimla. 

At Kanlog, local police asked some Delhi personnel to continue to Delhi with the accused along with additional Himachal Police officers and suggested that some Delhi officers remain behind to assist in the kidnapping investigation.

Delhi Police refused, insisting they would not leave any team members behind, and continued towards Shoghi.

On Thursday morning, the Delhi Police was again stopped near the Shoghi border. Shimla Police barricaded one vehicle, claiming it carried a DVR and other electronic evidence seized during the arrests. A vehicle was taken into custody, however Delhi Police officials said that all materials had been properly documented and shown to the magistrate while obtaining transit remand.

The impasse ended after Delhi Police shared a copy of the seizure memo with Shimla Police listing the collected evidence, although the digital devices were not handed over. Later the Shimla Police allowed the convoy to proceed within the 18-hour transit remand period.