Delhi vs Himachal Police Face-Off in Shimla Over AI Summit Protest Arrests; Midnight Drama Unfolds
A high-voltage confrontation between the Delhi Police and the Himachal Pradesh Police continued till late Wednesday night in Shimla. The dispute erupted after Delhi Police arrested three Youth Congress workers — Arbaaz Khan, Saurabh Singh, and Siddharth Avadhoot — from Chirgaon in connection with a protest during the AI Summit in New Delhi.
As Delhi Police transported the accused, Shimla Police detained around 20 Delhi Police personnel and took them to Chakkar Court. They were released around 7:30 PM.
However, at about 8 PM, Shimla Police stopped the Delhi Police vehicle again at the Shoghi barrier, leading to a heated exchange over jurisdiction, transit remand, and an FIR reportedly filed against the Delhi Police team. While Shimla Police alleged kidnapping and lack of valid documents, Delhi Police maintained they had the legal 24-hour window to produce the accused before a court.
The Shoghi area witnessed heavy police deployment and traffic disruptions as the situation escalated. Later, the Delhi Police team was escorted to a nearby check post, where discussions continued before they were allowed to proceed. By 6 AM, Delhi Police departed with the accused after handing over seizure memos and relevant documents.
Reacting to the incident, Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur termed the interference in Delhi Police’s functioning as unfortunate. Congress leaders, meanwhile, described the arrests as undemocratic and an attack on democratic values.
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