New Delhi, February 23: Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, met with gym trainer Deepak Kumar on Monday. Deepak recently garnered attention for his role in defending the owner of Ahmed's Baba School Dress & Matching Centre in Kotdwar. The incident occurred on January 26, when a group of individuals demanded that the shopkeeper change the name of his business. Tensions escalated when the shopkeeper refused.
Deepak, a local gym trainer, stepped in to confront the group, which led to protests on January 31. Police quickly registered FIRs after video footage of the altercation surfaced, urging people to avoid sensationalizing the event on social media.
Pauri Garhwal SSP Sarvesh Panwar stated that FIRs had been filed based on complaints from both parties. He confirmed that protests were organized by outsiders, who blocked the road on January 31, prompting the police to act. "On January 26, a dispute arose between two groups over the name of the shop. We have received complaints from both sides and have filed FIRs. On January 31, some individuals went to Deepak Kumar’s location and blocked the road. The police have taken suo motu cognizance of the matter and registered a case against them. I urge everyone to maintain peace and communal harmony. Strict legal action will be taken against those found guilty," SSP Panwar said.
Deepak Kumar explained that the issue became more heated after a group of boys began misbehaving with the shopkeeper over the name. He expressed confusion over the case filed against him, asserting that the altercation began when the other side initiated the confrontation.
"I was celebrating Republic Day with my friends when we stopped by one of our friends' shops. A group of boys came in and started harassing the shopkeeper over the shop's name. When I asked them to stop, they claimed that the word 'Baba' should only refer to Sidhbali Baba in their religion, demanding that the shopkeeper change the name. The shopkeeper refused, and the situation escalated into a communal issue. The boys were from Bajrang Dal, and the shop was owned by a Muslim," Deepak recalled.
He continued, "I told them, 'My name is Mohammed Deepak, what does it matter to you?' I still don’t understand why a case was filed against me when it was the other side that started the argument. We don't support any political party but stand for an ideology. For us, Hanuman represents hard work, and that's the kind of values we teach at the gym," he added.
