Kotdwar Gym Owner Known As Mohammad Deepak Gets Bail After Clash

Court Decision

Gym owner Deepak Kumar, also known as 'Mohammad' Deepak, received bail from a local court on Friday, October 2, 2026. The release came a day after police arrested him following a complaint from a local businessman alleging abuse, assault, and threats.

The Dispute

The complainant, Sanjeev Tonk, stated that Mr. Kumar confronted him outside his shop on Gangadutt Joshi Marg. According to the police and the complaint, the two had previously argued on social media over a post regarding the demolition of a mosque for road widening in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. Mr. Tonk alleged that Mr. Kumar asked him why he was standing with a Hindu trader, abused him, tried to hit him, and threatened to finish him off.

Police Action And Protests

Police initially booked Mr. Kumar under Sections 351(2) for criminal intimidation and 352 for intentional insult. After checking CCTV footage from the spot, officers added Sections 196 for promoting enmity and 115 for voluntarily causing hurt. According to Hindustan Times - India, sub-divisional magistrate Sandeep Kumar granted the bail after Mr. Kumar was produced in court following a preventive detention under Section 170 of the BNSS. Local traders staged a sit-in at the Kotwali police station demanding strict action, while police station in-charge Pradeep Singh Negi stated that adequate personnel were deployed to maintain law and order.

Background

Mr. Kumar first gained national attention in January earlier this year when he confronted right-wing activists who were allegedly intimidating an elderly Muslim shopkeeper in Kotdwar on Republic Day. A video of the incident went viral, featuring his introduction as 'Mohammad Deepak'. He later reported receiving threats and facing a drop in gym memberships and an economic boycott.

Context

Social media disputes between individuals often spill over into physical confrontations in local marketplaces, drawing police intervention and community protests. Local authorities frequently monitor online platforms and deploy additional police personnel to prevent communal tensions from escalating in such sensitive cases.