Kotdwar gym owner Deepak Kumar arrested over alleged assault, threats
Gym owner Deepak Kumar, who gained attention earlier this year after confronting Bajrang Dal members over the alleged harassment of a Muslim shopkeeper in Uttarakhand's Kotdwar, was arrested on Thursday for allegedly abusing, assaulting and threatening a businessman, police said.
Police said Kumar was taken into custody as a preventive measure after they apprehended a possible breach of peace.
The arrest followed an investigation into a complaint filed by businessman Sanjeev Tonk at Kotdwar Kotwali police station, police said.
Tonk alleged that Kumar behaved rudely with him, used abusive language and threatened to kill him.
Police initially registered a case against Kumar under Sections 351(2) and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), relating to criminal intimidation and intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of peace.
During the investigation, police added Sections 196 and 115 of the BNS after examining CCTV footage, photographs and other evidence. Section 196 deals with promoting enmity or disturbing harmony between different groups on grounds including religion, caste or language, while Section 115 relates to voluntarily causing hurt.
Police said the investigation indicated a prima facie case that Kumar had abused Tonk and threatened to kill him.
Considering the evidence and the possibility of a law-and-order disturbance, police arrested Kumar under Section 170 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which provides for preventive arrest to prevent the commission of a cognisable offence.
Police also conducted a flag march in the Kotdwar Municipal Corporation area on Thursday evening as a precautionary measure.
Kumar had made headlines in January after intervening when some people objected to the use of the word 'Baba' in the name of an elderly Muslim shopkeeper's establishment in Kotdwar.
During the confrontation, Kumar identified himself as 'Mohammad Deepak'. A video of the incident later went viral on social media, following which he became known by that name, police said. (with inputs from PTI)
