‘Himachal Govt Sheltering Those Defaming India’: Anurag Thakur Reacts As Inter-State Police Standoff Escalates Over AI Summit Protest

New Delhi: A dramatic battle between the Delhi Police and Himachal Pradesh Police has sparked a political faceoff, with BJP leader and MP Anurag Thakur launching a scathing attack on the Congress-led Himachal government.

The conflict began on Wednesday morning when members of the Delhi Police arrested the three Youth Congress activists, Arbaz, Siddharth, and Saurabh, linked to a controversial “shirtless protest” on February 20 at the AI Impact Summit, from a hotel in the Chirgaon area of Rohru subdivision in Shimla district. 

The fallout has seen police forces from two states physically blocking each other on highways, leading to what many are calling a “constitutional breakdown.”

The Local Police authorities alleged that 15–20 personnel in plain clothes took the suspects and the resort's CCTV DVR without following interstate protocol.

“Himachal Govt Part of the Plot”

Reacting to the chaos, Anurag Thakur accused the Himachal Pradesh government of providing shelter to those seeking to defame India on the international stage.

“Himachal Pradesh is known for securing the country's borders. Himachal's youth have contributed significantly to the fight against Naxalism within the country. But today, Himachal's name is being associated with those who seek to defame the country,” Thakur stated.

He stated that the Himachal government and its police are "part of the plot" to obstruct a lawful investigation by the Delhi Police. And the biggest misfortune is that the Himachal Pradesh government gave shelter to the activists who carried out this demonstration.

Thakur specifically highlighted a midnight raid incident at Himachal Sadan in Delhi, alleging that Congress leaders who "disrobed" during a global summit found refuge there with the explicit support of the state government.

"I request the Himachal government to take action against them by using Himachal Sadan in Delhi as a conspiracy platform and giving them shelter in Himachal Pradesh." "Is the Himachal government now limited to strategising, sheltering Congress workers, and then pitting the Himachal police against the Delhi police?, he stated.

"There is no problem with how they do it. Is this the face of the Congress Party, which has been in power for 60 years?" “The hateful mindset against India that Congress started is unfortunate. Opposition to investment coming into India, opposition to indian talent, opposition everywhere," he stated further.

He questioned how protesters who engaged in "indecent acts" (the shirtless protest) were allowed to stay at Himachal Sadan in Delhi. He suggested that such sensitive government accommodation could not be accessed without direct interference from the state's top leadership.

The Standoff

The tension escalated on Wednesday evening, when the Delhi Police attempted once more to transport the accused to New Delhi; they were intercepted at the Shoghi border, approximately 15 km from Shimla. 

The Delhi team was attempting to take the activists back to the national capital in custody.

Himachal Police registered a kidnapping FIR against the Delhi personnel, claiming they conducted a raid in Rohru without prior intimation or local assistance.

"A case has been registered against 15-20 unknown people in plain clothes for forcibly taking three people staying in a resort in Rohru. 

They also took the CCTV installed in the resort with them and did not give any receipt," the Shimla police said in a statement.

Delhi Police maintained they had followed due process and obtained a transit remand from the ACJM court.

In a rare sight, a few additional Delhi Police personnel were “detained” for several hours, with Himachal authorities barricading vehicles to seize digital evidence and CCTV DVRs.

The Shimla police also asked the Delhi team to hand over a copy of the digital evidence they possessed, allegedly gathered during the arrest of the activists in Rohru.

The Delhi Police insisted that the safety of the three accused was their responsibility and that they would not leave any of their members behind. They later continued their movement towards Shoghi.

During the standoff, the Shimla police sought the keys to the barricaded vehicle, but the Delhi Police refused to hand them over.

The situation ended when the Delhi police shared a copy of the seizure memo with the Shimla police. Although they did not share the digital evidence, the memo listed the evidence in their possession related to the case.

The 24-hour stalemate ended early on Thursday, February 26, 2026. After a late-night appearance before a magistrate at 1:30 AM, the Delhi Police were finally cleared to take the accused back to the capital.

Also Read: AI Summit Shirtless Protest Probe: Who Is ACP Rahul Vikram, The Officer Leading Investigation In Shimla