Shirtless protest at AI Summit: Delhi Police nabs Youth Congress worker in Gwalior, total arrests 5

Delhi Police arrests five Youth Congress workers linked to a shirtless protest at the AI Summit, sparking political controversy.

Delhi Police has made the fifth arrest in connection with the shirtless protest by the Indian Youth Congress workers at the AI Impact Summit here last week, an official said on Monday (February 23, 2026).

The accused, identified as Jitendra Yadav, was apprehended from Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, taking the total number of arrests in the case to five, police said.

On Friday (February 20), a group of Indian Youth Congress (IYC) workers staged a dramatic shirtless protest at an exhibition hall during the AI Impact Summit at the Bharat Mandapam, walking around holding T-shirts with slogans against the government and the India-U.S. trade deal printed on them, before being whisked away by security personnel present at the venue.

Delhi Police arrested four IYC workers on the day of the protest, with officials saying a wider conspiracy angle in the matter was under investigation.

The issue triggered a political slugfest with the BJP calling it a “shameful act to tarnish India’s image on the global stage”, and the IYC defending it as a “peaceful” demonstration aimed at safeguarding national interests.

According to police, the IYC workers on Friday (February 20) entered the lobby area of Hall No. 5 and raised slogans after removing the T-shirts worn under their shirts.