Gym owner, right-wing activists booked over row on Muslim trader’s shop name

DEHRADUN: Police in Kotdwar have registered three FIRs after members of a right-wing group gathered outside a Muslim trader's shop on Jan 26, demanding a change in its name, which led to a confrontation with a local gym owner and escalated into allegations of assault, intimidation and rioting. While one case was registered against the gym owner and his friend, and two FIRs were filed against Bajrang Dal workers, including one by police.The incident began when 30 to 40 Bajrang Dal members assembled outside Baba School Uniform Centre in the town's Patel Road market, where they allegedly objected to the use of the word "Baba" in the name of the Muslim-owned shop and asked the trader to change it, citing religious grounds. Deepak Kumar, who owns a gym nearby, intervened in the exchange. A video of Kumar confronting the group circulated widely on social media and drew public support. Later that day, Bajrang Dal worker Kamal Pal filed a complaint alleging that Kumar, his friend Vijay Rawat, and one unidentified person stopped him and fellow worker Gaurav Kashyap while they were conducting a public outreach activity near a mosque. Pal alleged the three assaulted them and took Rs 3,000, a wristwatch, and a mobile phone. Based on the complaint, police registered a case against the three under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 351(2) (criminal intimidation), 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), and 191(1) (unlawful assembly).A second FIR was registered on the complaint of the shopkeeper's son, who alleged that four Bajrang Dal workers — Kashyap, Shakti Singh Gusain, and two unnamed persons — entered the shop and threatened his father. He said they warned of "serious consequences" if the name was not changed. Police invoked BNS sections 115(2), 333 (trespassing), 351(2), and 352.The third FIR was filed by police after around 40 Bajrang Dal workers allegedly gathered outside Kumar's gym later in the day, blocked National Highway-534 for over an hour, and raised communally provocative slogans. Sub-inspector Vinod Chaprana filed the complaint, and the case was registered under BNS sections 121(2) (voluntarily causing hurt to a public servant), 126(2) (wrongful restraint), 191(2) (rioting), 196(2) (promoting enmity between religious groups), and 352 (criminal intimidation).Pauri Garhwal SSP Sarvesh Panwar confirmed all three FIRs and said investigations were underway. "Separate cases were registered based on different complaints. Legal action will follow based on findings. Police carried out a flag march in Kotdwar on Saturday night to maintain peace. No fresh incident was reported," Panwar said.Traders in the area said the uniform shop had operated under the same name for years without controversy. "We didn't expect it to become such an issue. Everyone works side by side in this market," said a shopkeeper. Another added that Kumar, the gym owner, was known in the area for maintaining cordial ties across communities.