03-06-2025
Madhya Pradesh: Cop caught on video asking gym to bar entry of Muslims; removed from field duty
Madhya Pradesh: A police sub-inspector has been removed from field duty and attached to police lines after he allegedly asked a gym owner not to allow entry to Muslims at the facility in Bhopal, officials said on June 3.
The action against sub-inspector Dinesh Sharma was taken after a video surfaced on social media showing him purportedly making the controversial comments.
"No Mohamedan (Muslim) will come here to train or take training. I am telling you this clearly," the policeman was heard instructing the gym owner in the now-viral video clip on social media.
A group of people had raised objection to the presence of Muslim trainers at the gym in Bhopal's Ayodhya Nagar locality, according to reports. Bajrang Dal members had visited the gym, and raised questions over the presence of Muslim trainers at the facility, police said, news agency PTI reported.
Police personnel, including SI Dinesh Sharma, were subsequently called to the spot to manage the situation. Sharma allegedly made the comments at that time, an official said.
After a video of his comments went viral on social media, the police started an investigation into the matter. Following the investigation, Sharma was on Monday attached to the Police Lines here, an official said.
The police have made it very clear that no such act will be allowed which creates tension between communities, the official added.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Bhopal, Alok Sharma, told the media on June 1 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.
No Mohamedan (Muslim) will come here to train or take training. I am telling you this clearly.
