Dehradun: Kotdwar based gym trainer Deepak Kumar has shut his gym and is living in fear after a video showing him supporting an elderly Muslim shopkeeper went viral on social media. Deepak says the past one week has been extremely distressing for his family following alleged threats by Bajrang Dal activists, with the situation forcing him to stop work and restrict his movements.
The controversy traces back to January 26, when an incident took place at the Patel Marg market in Kotdwar. A shop named Baba School Dress, owned by 70 year old Vakil Ahmed, became the centre of a confrontation after a group of men claiming to be Bajrang Dal workers entered the shop and asked the owner to remove the word “Baba” from its name. A video of the incident later surfaced online.
Deepak said he was present nearby at a friend’s shop and his gym is also located in the same market. “When I saw a crowd, I went there and supported the elderly shopkeeper,” he said. During the argument, the group asked Deepak his name, to which he replied “Mohammed Deepak”. He later clarified that he mentioned the name to show solidarity with the shopkeeper. The video of the exchange soon went viral.
After the video circulated, Bajrang Dal activists allegedly gathered outside Deepak’s gym and created a commotion. Several videos from outside the gym surfaced online, in which Deepak is seen being threatened. In one of the clips, a man can be heard saying, “Deepak Kumar, you are on target.”
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Deepak said the fallout of the incident has severely affected his family. “Since that day, my family is scared. Fear is constant. My daughter studies in LKG and has stopped going to school. My health is not good and the gym is not running. I have my mother and wife at home. I have to work, but the circumstances are very difficult,” he said.
On January 31, members of Bajrang Dal and other right wing organisations protested outside Deepak’s gym. It is alleged that communal slogans were raised during the protest. Police were present at the spot, and a tense situation developed when Deepak and the protesters came face to face. Videos show police personnel trying to pacify Deepak, while some youths from the crowd attempted to move towards the gym before being stopped by the police.
To maintain law and order, additional police force was deployed in the area and a flag march was conducted.
The incident drew political reactions as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi extended support to Deepak. Rahul Gandhi, in a social media post, described Deepak as a hero and said he was standing up for the Constitution and humanity.
Deepak said the political support came at a time when he was feeling extremely uneasy. “There is no need to be afraid, one should fear God, but the situation has disturbed my family,” he said. He added that he has also received support from local traders and people associated with the gym community. “Most people are standing with me because I have not done anything wrong,” he said.
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This is not the first such controversy linked to shop names in Uttarakhand. In December 2025, a video from Dehradun showed vandalism at a shop named Lucky Hair Salon, while another video surfaced opposing prayers in a school. A Bajrang Dal member, Aman, claimed these actions were part of the organisation’s ‘Jiska kaam, usi ka naam’ campaign, asserting that police were present during such incidents.
