Delhi Police vs Himachal Police: High drama ensues in Shimla as cops face off over IYC arrests — Here's what happened

High drama unfolded in Shimla on Wednesday after the Himachal Pradesh Police detained several personnel of the Special Cell of the Delhi Police, accusing the latter of kidnapping three individuals in connection with the shirtless protest by the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) at the AI Impact Summit in the national capital on 20 February.

Tensions, however, subsided on Thursday morning after the Delhi Police team departed from the Shoghi barrier with all their vehicles and the three accused.

"Delhi Police has left from the Shoghi barrier in Shimla. Delhi Police has given the seizure memo to Shimla Police. Delhi Police officials have taken along the DVR and seized the vehicle of the accused. Now, Delhi Police will produce the three accused before the local magistrate," a Delhi Police personnel was quoted as saying by news agency ANI on Thursday.

Sources in the Special Cell of the Delhi Police told Indian Express that a team had travelled to Himachal to detain the three suspects—all members of the IYC—from the Shimla district.

However, when the Delhi Police team sought to produce the three accused before a local court in Shimla to seek a transit remand, the Himachal Pradesh Police intervened.

IE, citing the source, reported that upon reaching the court, the Delhi Police team was informed that court staff were not available for the legal process requested.

Around this time, the Himachal Pradesh Police also detained the Delhi Police team for "hours", and asked the officers from the national capital to furnish a copy of the FIR against the accused, as well as a copy of the court order sanctioning the operation.

“There, we were told that we had been booked for kidnapping, and were detained,” a source who is part of the Delhi Police team, was quoted as saying by IE.

The Himachal Pradesh Police, however, alleged that two Delhi Police teams attempted to re-enter their jurisdiction after arresting the three accused.

It was at this point that the cops from the national capital were intercepted near Shimla and Dharampur, before being produced in a Shimla court, reported IE citing a senior Himachal Pradesh Police officer.

The Himachal officer said that nearly 15-20 Delhi Police personnel, led by ACP Rahul Vikram, were detained at around 8 pm after the they attempted to leave the court at around 7.30 pm despite being asked not to.

Subsequently, in a statement released on Wednesday, Shimla Police said an FIR had been registered against the Delhi Police at the 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 by the Himachal Police said.

It also accused the Delhi Police team of removing the digital video recorders (DVRs) of the CCTV cameras at the resort from which the IYC trio were arrested.

Meanwhile, ACP Vikram told IE, "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.”

The Youth Congress workers arrested from Shimla, namely Saurabh, Arbaaz and Siddharth, are residents of Amethi, Sultanpur and Rewa, respectively.

IYC president Uday Bhanu Chib is among those who have been arrested.