Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Feb 26: A rare standoff unfolded on a Himachal Pradesh highway on Saturday as two state police forces clashed over the detention and transport of three Indian Youth Congress (IYC) workers linked to protests at the AI Impact Summit in Delhi last week.

The confrontation took place near the Shoghi Barrier between Shimla and Solan when Himachal Pradesh Police intercepted a Delhi Police team attempting to take the detained individuals out of the state. Himachal authorities argued that the suspects could not be moved without obtaining a transit remand from a local court, a legal procedure required when an accused is arrested outside their state.

The dispute escalated after Shimla Police registered an FIR against Delhi Police personnel, alleging that the three detainees had been forcibly taken from a resort in Mandli, Chirgaon. According to the complaint, a group of around 15–20 unidentified individuals in plain clothes arrived at Chansal Resort, removed the guests along with their vehicle, and even took the CCTV DVR without providing any documentation.

Shimla SP Gaurav Singh confirmed the FIR and stated that legal action is underway. Video footage of the highway standoff shows Delhi Police Special Cell ACP Rahul Vikram asserting, "We have arrested three people. You are preventing a government employee from working." A Himachal officer responded, "We have filed a case against you. You are kidnapping three people. You should join the investigation."

Delhi Police sources said that over 20 officers were temporarily detained by Himachal authorities before the matter was resolved in court, with both police teams escorting the IYC workers for legal proceedings.

Background: AI Summit Protest

The arrests stem from a protest at the AI Impact Summit held at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi. Four IYC workers reportedly entered the venue and staged a "shirtless protest" inside the exhibition hall, displaying T-shirts with slogans against the government and the India-US trade deal. Security personnel quickly intervened and detained the protesters.

The incident has sparked political controversy, highlighting tensions in coordination between law enforcement agencies of different states—a rare and sensitive development in inter-state policing.