Madhya Pradesh cop seen on video ‘ordering gym not to allow Muslims', sent to police lines

Indian Express

2 days ago

A sub-inspector with the Madhya Pradesh Police has been removed from active duty and attached to police lines after a video surfaced showing him instructing a gym owner to prohibit people from the Muslim community from entering the premises.
According to police sources, a group of people had raised objection to the presence of Muslim trainers at the gym in Bhopal's Ayodhya Nagar locality. Police personnel, including SI Dinesh Sharma, were subsequently called to the spot to manage the situation.
In the video, Sharma is purportedly heard saying that Muslims should not 'come here to give or take training'. The video sparked outrage, prompting an internal inquiry into Sharma's conduct. He was subsequently removed from field duty and sent to the police lines pending further investigation.
A senior police officer said Sharma had been deployed to maintain order after members of a right-wing group arrived at the gym. 'The SI had reached the spot because the members of the pro-Hindutva organisations turned up, and his presence was necessary to maintain law and order. We are investigating the allegations. Right now, he has been sent to police lines.'
Following the incident, BJP MP from Bhopal, Alok Sharma, told the media on Sunday that a 'list of gym instructors' in the city had been compiled, and insisted that women clients should be trained only by women instructors. 'The list of gym trainers will be handed over to the police, who will act according to the law,' he said.
Congress MLA Arif Masood criticised the move, questioning the rationale behind targeting gym professionals based on religion. 'Is running a gym now a crime? If it's being run following rules, then what is the problem?' he asked.
Right-wing groups' opposition to Muslim trainers has not been confined to Bhopal. Similar actions have been reported in Indore as well. The campaign gathered momentum following the arrest of Mohsin Khan, a shooting coach accused of operating an unlicensed academy and allegedly involved in cases of rape and molestation.