710
18 days ago
Cops vs cops in Himachal after Delhi Police pick up 3 Indian Youth Congress men
Summary
Around 15 personnel of the Special Cell of Delhi Police were being held by Himachal Pradesh Police at the Shoghi police post on the Chandigarh-Shimla highway late on Wednesday night after a day of high drama and confrontation between the two forces.
The Himachal Pradesh Police have accused the Delhi Police of kidnapping three individuals who were picked up by the Delhi Police team before dawn on Wednesday in connection with the shirtless protest by the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) at the AI Impact Summit in the capital on February 20.
These three individuals, whom the Delhi Police were trying to whisk away to Delhi, were also at the Shoghi police post as the extraordinary standoff between the two forces continued till the last reports came in.
The two sides gave conflicting accounts of what happened during the day.
Sources in the Delhi Police said the Special Cell team that travelled to Himachal Pradesh had detained the three suspects — all members of the IYC — from Shimla district. However, when the Delhi Police team sought to produce them before a local court in Shimla to seek transit remand, the Himachal Police prevented them, the sources said.
“At the court, our team was informed that court staff were not available for the legal process. The local (Himachal) police kept the Delhi Police officers confined for hours. They were asked to show a copy of the FIR (against the accused) and permission from a court to carry out the operation,” a Delhi Police source said.
According to this source, the Delhi Police team was ultimately allowed to leave in the evening, but they were again stopped at the Shoghi police post. “There, we were told that we had been booked for kidnapping, and were detained,” a source who is part of the Delhi Police team, said.
A senior officer of the Himachal Pradesh Police, however, told The Indian Express that two Delhi Police teams that were trying to return after arresting three IYC workers, had been intercepted near the bus stand in Shimla and in Dharampur in Solan district, and were produced in a Shimla district court.
ALSO READ | Youth Congress president arrested over ‘shirtless’ protest, party says ‘proud’ of act by ‘Babbar Sher’
The officer added that the Delhi Police personnel, numbering 15-20 and led by ACP Rahul Vikram, left the court about 7.30 pm, despite Himachal Police officers asking them not to leave. The Delhi Police personnel were, therefore, detained at the Shoghi barrier in Shimla around 8 pm, the Himachal officer said.
In a statement released late on Wednesday, the Shimla Police said an FIR had been registered against the Delhi Police team at Chirgaon police station.
“Shimla Police on Wednesday morning received information that around 15 to 20 unidentified individuals, dressed in plain clothes, arrived in vehicles and allegedly forcibly took away three guests staying at a resort in the Mandli area of Chirgaon,” the statement said.
“…The individuals also took with them a Thar vehicle belonging to the guests. In addition, it has been alleged that the group removed the DVRs of the CCTV cameras installed at the complainant’s Chanshal Resort without providing any seizure memo or receipt. Acting on the complaint, Shimla Police have registered a case at Chirgaon police station,” it added.
ALSO READ | Cong’s youth wing chief, Uday Bhanu Chib, gives wings to party cause on the ground
Sources in the Himachal Police said arguments had broken out between ACP Vikram and Shimla Police officers at the Shoghi barrier. The HP Police officers had informed the ACP that an FIR had been registered, and they could not leave without joining the investigation, while the ACP had insisted that his team had followed all procedures, the Himachal Police sources said.
ACP Vikram told The Indian Express over the phone: “I don’t know in what capacity the Himachal Police detained us. Two of the three suspects were directly involved in the shirtless protest, while one of them was involved in the conspiracy.”
Himachal Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s Principal Adviser (Media) Naresh Chauhan said, “There is a procedure when the police from a state go to another state to arrest a suspect. We were told that the Delhi Police didn’t follow that procedure. An FIR was lodged in this connection.”
A senior Delhi Police officer accompanying the police team said, “We are coordinating with the Himachal Police. We will take the three IYC suspects to Delhi tonight.”
The Delhi Police have already arrested eight people, including IYC president Uday Bhanu Chib, in connection with the protest at Bharat Mandapam.
Saurabh Parashar is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, primarily responsible for the publication’s coverage of Himachal Pradesh. He is a seasoned journalist with over 17 years of experience in print media, specializing in crime, legal affairs, and investigative reporting.
Professional Background
Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Mass Communication from Guru Jambheshwar University of Science & Technology (Hisar) and a Law degree from Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), Shimla. This legal background significantly informs his reporting on complex judicial and administrative matters.
Career Path: Before joining The Indian Express in 2017, he spent 12 years with The Times of India.
Core Beats: His primary focus is the socio-political landscape of the hill state, with a specific emphasis on the environment, forest conservation, drug menace (specifically "Chitta"), affairs related to tribal and archaeology and the unique challenges of governance in high-altitude regions.
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
His recent reporting highlights the critical intersection of policy, law, and social safety in Himachal Pradesh:
1. "Himachal’s battle against Chitta: Why the border areas are most vulnerable" (Late 2025): An investigative look at the transit routes from Punjab and the impact on local youth.
2. "Shimla ropeway clears key hurdle as 820 trees face the axe :According to the Forest Survey of India’s 2021 assessment, 47.21 percent of Shimla’s 5,131 sq km geographical area is under forest cover (Nov 17, 2025).
3. "Himachal to handover 2.7427 ha of non-forest land for Shimla Ropeway: Given the land’s non-forest nature, RTDC and the state will not require permission from MoEFCC" (Nov 18, 2025)
4. "How the centuries-old Jodidara tradition is fading in Himachal’s Trans-Giri region: Jodidara: a form of fraternal polyandry—has long been part of Hatti tribal culture in the Trans-Giri region of Himachal Pradesh and adjoining Uttarakhand. It is believed to have evolved to prevent division of ancestral land and maintain unity among brothers in the harsh, mountainous terrain" (Aug 18, 2025)
Legal & Agricultural Affairs
"Kisan Sabha hails SC’s setting aside Himachal HC order to remove orchards from forest land" (Dec 18, 2025): Covering a major Supreme Court victory for farmers, where a High Court order to remove fruit-bearing apple orchards was overturned.
"Himachal Cabinet nod to new tourism policy; focus on home-stays in tribal areas" (Dec 11, 2025): Detailing the legislative push to decentralize tourism and bring economic benefits to Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur.
3. Governance & Environment
"Forest rights and development: Why Himachal is seeking more leeway from Centre" (Dec 19, 2025): Reporting on the legal hurdles faced by the state in infrastructure projects due to the Forest Conservation Act.
"Cloudbursts and resilience: How Himachal’s remote villages are building back better" (Nov 2025): Following up on the long-term rehabilitation efforts after monsoon-related disasters.
Crime especially cyber crimes, crypto currency etc:
crypto currency: "Agents in uniform, motivational speeches, lavish parties: How a Himachal crypto con went unnoticed:A serial conman, a ‘Nelson Mandela Nobel Peace Award winner', and retired policemen got together to pull off a Rs 1,740-crore fraud" (Nov 10, 2023)
Signature Beats
Saurabh is recognized for his tenacious reporting on the state's drug epidemic. His deep familiarity with the topography and tribal culture of Himachal allows him to report from remote locations like Spiti, Pangi, Shillai, which are often overlooked by national media. His legal expertise makes him a primary choice for covering the Himachal Pradesh High Court on issues ranging from local body elections to environmental PILs.
X (Twitter): @saurabh_prashar
. ... Read More
Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram
The Himachal Pradesh Police have accused the Delhi Police of kidnapping three individuals who were picked up by the Delhi Police team before dawn on Wednesday in connection with the shirtless protest by the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) at the AI Impact Summit in the capital on February 20.
These three individuals, whom the Delhi Police were trying to whisk away to Delhi, were also at the Shoghi police post as the extraordinary standoff between the two forces continued till the last reports came in.
The two sides gave conflicting accounts of what happened during the day.
Sources in the Delhi Police said the Special Cell team that travelled to Himachal Pradesh had detained the three suspects — all members of the IYC — from Shimla district. However, when the Delhi Police team sought to produce them before a local court in Shimla to seek transit remand, the Himachal Police prevented them, the sources said.
“At the court, our team was informed that court staff were not available for the legal process. The local (Himachal) police kept the Delhi Police officers confined for hours. They were asked to show a copy of the FIR (against the accused) and permission from a court to carry out the operation,” a Delhi Police source said.
According to this source, the Delhi Police team was ultimately allowed to leave in the evening, but they were again stopped at the Shoghi police post. “There, we were told that we had been booked for kidnapping, and were detained,” a source who is part of the Delhi Police team, said.
A senior officer of the Himachal Pradesh Police, however, told The Indian Express that two Delhi Police teams that were trying to return after arresting three IYC workers, had been intercepted near the bus stand in Shimla and in Dharampur in Solan district, and were produced in a Shimla district court.
ALSO READ | Youth Congress president arrested over ‘shirtless’ protest, party says ‘proud’ of act by ‘Babbar Sher’
The officer added that the Delhi Police personnel, numbering 15-20 and led by ACP Rahul Vikram, left the court about 7.30 pm, despite Himachal Police officers asking them not to leave. The Delhi Police personnel were, therefore, detained at the Shoghi barrier in Shimla around 8 pm, the Himachal officer said.
In a statement released late on Wednesday, the Shimla Police said an FIR had been registered against the Delhi Police team at Chirgaon police station.
“Shimla Police on Wednesday morning received information that around 15 to 20 unidentified individuals, dressed in plain clothes, arrived in vehicles and allegedly forcibly took away three guests staying at a resort in the Mandli area of Chirgaon,” the statement said.
“…The individuals also took with them a Thar vehicle belonging to the guests. In addition, it has been alleged that the group removed the DVRs of the CCTV cameras installed at the complainant’s Chanshal Resort without providing any seizure memo or receipt. Acting on the complaint, Shimla Police have registered a case at Chirgaon police station,” it added.
ALSO READ | Cong’s youth wing chief, Uday Bhanu Chib, gives wings to party cause on the ground
Sources in the Himachal Police said arguments had broken out between ACP Vikram and Shimla Police officers at the Shoghi barrier. The HP Police officers had informed the ACP that an FIR had been registered, and they could not leave without joining the investigation, while the ACP had insisted that his team had followed all procedures, the Himachal Police sources said.
ACP Vikram told The Indian Express over the phone: “I don’t know in what capacity the Himachal Police detained us. Two of the three suspects were directly involved in the shirtless protest, while one of them was involved in the conspiracy.”
Himachal Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s Principal Adviser (Media) Naresh Chauhan said, “There is a procedure when the police from a state go to another state to arrest a suspect. We were told that the Delhi Police didn’t follow that procedure. An FIR was lodged in this connection.”
A senior Delhi Police officer accompanying the police team said, “We are coordinating with the Himachal Police. We will take the three IYC suspects to Delhi tonight.”
The Delhi Police have already arrested eight people, including IYC president Uday Bhanu Chib, in connection with the protest at Bharat Mandapam.
Saurabh Parashar is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, primarily responsible for the publication’s coverage of Himachal Pradesh. He is a seasoned journalist with over 17 years of experience in print media, specializing in crime, legal affairs, and investigative reporting.
Professional Background
Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Mass Communication from Guru Jambheshwar University of Science & Technology (Hisar) and a Law degree from Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), Shimla. This legal background significantly informs his reporting on complex judicial and administrative matters.
Career Path: Before joining The Indian Express in 2017, he spent 12 years with The Times of India.
Core Beats: His primary focus is the socio-political landscape of the hill state, with a specific emphasis on the environment, forest conservation, drug menace (specifically "Chitta"), affairs related to tribal and archaeology and the unique challenges of governance in high-altitude regions.
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
His recent reporting highlights the critical intersection of policy, law, and social safety in Himachal Pradesh:
1. "Himachal’s battle against Chitta: Why the border areas are most vulnerable" (Late 2025): An investigative look at the transit routes from Punjab and the impact on local youth.
2. "Shimla ropeway clears key hurdle as 820 trees face the axe :According to the Forest Survey of India’s 2021 assessment, 47.21 percent of Shimla’s 5,131 sq km geographical area is under forest cover (Nov 17, 2025).
3. "Himachal to handover 2.7427 ha of non-forest land for Shimla Ropeway: Given the land’s non-forest nature, RTDC and the state will not require permission from MoEFCC" (Nov 18, 2025)
4. "How the centuries-old Jodidara tradition is fading in Himachal’s Trans-Giri region: Jodidara: a form of fraternal polyandry—has long been part of Hatti tribal culture in the Trans-Giri region of Himachal Pradesh and adjoining Uttarakhand. It is believed to have evolved to prevent division of ancestral land and maintain unity among brothers in the harsh, mountainous terrain" (Aug 18, 2025)
Legal & Agricultural Affairs
"Kisan Sabha hails SC’s setting aside Himachal HC order to remove orchards from forest land" (Dec 18, 2025): Covering a major Supreme Court victory for farmers, where a High Court order to remove fruit-bearing apple orchards was overturned.
"Himachal Cabinet nod to new tourism policy; focus on home-stays in tribal areas" (Dec 11, 2025): Detailing the legislative push to decentralize tourism and bring economic benefits to Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur.
3. Governance & Environment
"Forest rights and development: Why Himachal is seeking more leeway from Centre" (Dec 19, 2025): Reporting on the legal hurdles faced by the state in infrastructure projects due to the Forest Conservation Act.
"Cloudbursts and resilience: How Himachal’s remote villages are building back better" (Nov 2025): Following up on the long-term rehabilitation efforts after monsoon-related disasters.
Crime especially cyber crimes, crypto currency etc:
crypto currency: "Agents in uniform, motivational speeches, lavish parties: How a Himachal crypto con went unnoticed:A serial conman, a ‘Nelson Mandela Nobel Peace Award winner', and retired policemen got together to pull off a Rs 1,740-crore fraud" (Nov 10, 2023)
Signature Beats
Saurabh is recognized for his tenacious reporting on the state's drug epidemic. His deep familiarity with the topography and tribal culture of Himachal allows him to report from remote locations like Spiti, Pangi, Shillai, which are often overlooked by national media. His legal expertise makes him a primary choice for covering the Himachal Pradesh High Court on issues ranging from local body elections to environmental PILs.
X (Twitter): @saurabh_prashar
. ... Read More
Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram
AI Description
The incident involves a jurisdictional conflict between state police forces in India, highlighting tensions in law enforcement operations. It underscores the complexities of inter-state police cooperation and the potential for conflict when jurisdictional boundaries are crossed.