Delhi Police on Tuesday arrested Indian Youth Congress (IYC) president Uday Bhanu Chib in connection with last week’s shirtless protest by youth wing members at the AI Impact Summit in the capital, reported PTI.
Following Chib’s arrest, security has been intensified across key locations in New Delhi, taking the total number of people detained in the case to eight.
Earlier, seven IYC workers, including three from Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, were arrested for the protest at Bharat Mandapam last Friday. They have been identified as Jitendra Yadav, Raj Gujjar, and Ajay Kumar. In addition, IYC’s Uttar Pradesh general secretary Ritik alias Monty Shukla was detained from Lalitpur.
Quick Reaction Teams and paramilitary units on high alert
Senior officers said additional forces have been deployed at sensitive points, particularly in New Delhi, which is a hotspot for political demonstrations. Security has been tightened around the Tilak Marg police station, where Chib is currently held, while barricades have been set up at strategic points, with anti-riot teams on standby.
According to PTI, Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) and additional paramilitary companies have also been placed on alert to respond to any law-and-order situation.
Senior officers directed field staff to ensure that traffic movement remains smooth. “Our priority is to maintain public order and ensure that daily life is not disrupted. Preventive measures may be invoked if any group attempts to assemble without permission,” a senior officer said.
Police press charges
According to police, additional sections under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including 196 (promoting enmity between different groups and acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and 197 (assertions prejudicial to national integration), have been invoked in the FIR. Both sections carry a jail term of up to three years.
Charges of criminal conspiracy, obstruction of a public servant in the discharge of duty, disobedience to an order duly promulgated by a public servant, unlawful assembly, and common intention had already been added to the case.
IYC workers protest at summit, display slogan-printed T-shirts
Last week, a group of IYC workers staged a dramatic protest inside Hall No. 5 of the summit venue by removing their shirts to reveal T-shirts printed with slogans against the government and the India-US interim trade deal, before being whisked away by security personnel. Police said the accused had registered online and obtained QR codes to gain entry into the venue.
The incident triggered a political slugfest, with the BJP calling it a “shameful act to tarnish India’s image on the global stage,” while the IYC defended it as a “peaceful” demonstration aimed at safeguarding national interests.
A senior police officer said the role of each accused is being examined and more arrests may follow. “We are analysing CCTV footage, digital evidence, and entry records to establish the sequence of events and identify others involved in planning and executing the protest,” the officer said.
Another senior officer added that investigators are probing a possible conspiracy angle and tracking the financial trail behind the protest, including funding for printing the slogans on the T-shirts. “We are examining whether there was any coordinated effort and how the logistics were arranged,” the officer said.
(With PTI inputs)