Gym owner becomes internet sensation for confronting mob bullying Muslim man in Uttarakhand: 'Will not bow down'

Gym owner Deepak Kumar, 46, has became an internet sensation after he confronted the mob bullying a Muslim man in Uttarakhand's Kotdwar.

In a video from January 26, Deepak was seen introducing himself as 'Mohammed Deepak' and confronting Bajrang Dal members harassing an elderly Muslim shopkeeper for using 'Baba' in his shop's name on Republic Day.

Deepak, who fearlessly protected a Muslim shopkeeper from a violent Bajrang Dal mob, showed the kind of bravery our society needs. Our group of friends wants to honor him. If anyone can share his contact, please do, we want to personally present him a token of appreciation.… pic.twitter.com/dULvkf9hsW

— Mohd Shadab Khan (@VoxShadabKhan) January 31, 2026

The January 26 confrontation, which unfolded in a local market, ended with Kumar's confrontation. By the following week, however, the issue had escalated. On January 31, a group of 30 to 40 Bajrang Dal members travelled from Dehradun and Rishikesh to Kotdwar, staging a demonstration outside Kumar's home and workplace, raising slogans and filming videos.

“I am not a Hindu, I am not a Muslim, I am not a Sikh, and I am not a Christian. First and foremost, I am a human being. Because after I die, I have to answer to God and to humanity, not to any religion,” he can be heard saying in another video.

He was responding to threats he's been facing ever since he protected a Muslim shopkeeper from harassment by a group of men claiming to be from Hindutva outfit Bajrang Dal, according to a report by Hindustan Times.

Speaking to TOI on Monday, days after an FIR was lodged against him and his friend Vijay Rawat on charges of assault and intimidation, Kumar said the real disruption came not from Kotdwar's residents but from "outsiders" who descended on the town on Jan 31, gathered outside his gym and shouted slogans at his family in full view of police.

"After what happened on Jan 26, a large number of Bajrang Dal members gathered near my gymnasium and house while aggressively raising slogans against me," Kumar said. "But I didn't bow down before them. I will not bow down to hatred and will stand for humanity again, whenever needed. I am carrying out my business as usual, but I am still a little concerned for the safety of my family," he told TOI.

However, in the week since the incident, Kumar has seen a sharp surge in online visibility. He had about 1,500 followers on Facebook before Jan 26; by Monday, the number had risen to over 4.3 lakh. On Instagram, his follower count jumped from around 1,000 a week ago to over 5 lakh by Monday evening, according to a report by The Times of India.