Three Youth Congress workers brought back to Himachal, produced in court

According to Himachal Pradesh Police, the Delhi Police team was intercepted at Dharampur in Solan district, where the action was termed illegal, and the workers were released from custody.

"Himachal Police intervened after receiving information about the detention. Shimla Police has brought back the three youths, who were taken into illegal detention by Delhi Police. They are being produced before a local court as per legal procedure," police said.

Officials said the trio was picked up from Rohru in connection with protests held in the national capital involving members of the Youth Congress, NSUI and Congress workers over an AI-related submission issue. The protest had drawn participation from party youth wings and student leaders, leading to detentions by Delhi Police during demonstrations.

Sources said the three workers had allegedly travelled to Delhi earlier to join the protest and were later traced and detained by Delhi Police from Himachal without prior intimation to local authorities, triggering objections from the state police.

After being stopped at Dharampur, the Himachal Police team secured their release and escorted them back to the Shimla district. "Further legal action will be taken in accordance with the law, and the matter is being examined," police added.

Congress leaders criticised the detention, alleging misuse of police action against youth activists, while police maintained that due process would be followed and the exact circumstances of the detention were under verification.

Meanwhile, a Congress delegation led by Member of Parliament and AICC Treasurer Ajay Maken, and Delhi Congress President Devendra Yadav, on Tuesday met Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, presenting a memorandum regarding the arrest of Indian Youth Congress chief Uday Bhanu Chib and others over the AI summit protest. According to a statement by the Lok Niwas, the Lt Governor said that the act of the Youth Congress volunteers was aimed, prima facie, at "derogating the nation". (ANI)

Delhi Lok Niwas said in statement on X, "A delegation of Congress Party comprising Ajay Maken, MP and Treasurer, AICC, Devendra Yadav, President, DPCC and other leaders, today called on the Lt. Governor and presented a memorandum to him with regards to the recent police action on Youth Congress volunteers, owing to their conduct and behaviour at the recently concluded AI Summit." Lt Governor Saxena maintained that the protest was "ill-conceived and malicious."

"Lt. Governor, while receiving the memorandum, told the delegation categorically that, without prejudice to the legal merits of the case, the act of the Youth Congress volunteers was prima facie aimed at derogating the nation, on an occasion where an extremely important and topical international event was underway. The LG also underlined that the AI Summit was not being hosted by any individual or a political party, but India as a nation. The undignified protest at the venue of the Summit was ill-conceived, malicious and amounted to jeopardising our national image on the international fora," the X post read. (ANI)