Stand-off between Delhi and H.P. police forces triggers political row in hill State

After a dramatic 24 hours, the standoff between Delhi and Himachal Pradesh police teams ended on Thursday morning when the Delhi police team received permission to return to the national capital along with three Indian Youth Congress (IYC) activists it arrested from Shimla on Wednesday in connection with the “shirtless” protest at the India AI Impact Summit last week.

This tussle sparked a political row in the hill state, with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu terming the Delhi Police’s action as “an attempt to undermine the sovereignty of the State”. “If any person is arrested (detained) without the knowledge and permission of the state, is this legal?” Mr. Sukhu told Hindu by phone.

BJP leaders led by Opposition Leader Jai Ram Thakur submitted a memorandum to Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla alleging “serious constitutional crisis in the State and misuse of police machinery”. They demanded an investigation by the Center into the incident and an inquiry into the role of the Prime Minister’s Office.

Rejecting the allegations made by the opposition party, Mr. Sukhu said, “Our action was taken in accordance with the legal rights granted to States under the Constitution of the country.”

Meanwhile, Patiala Palace Courts Chief Judge Mridul Gupta remanded the three persons (Saurav, Arbaaz and Siddharth), who were arrested on Thursday afternoon, in three-day police custody. The trio will be brought to court after their detention period is completed on March 1.

The court also extended the police custody of two other accused Ajay Kumar and Raja Gujar, who were arrested earlier and produced in court on Thursday after completion of three-day police custody, by three days.