Deepak Kumar arrested in Kotdwar following assault allegations

Deepak Kumar, a gym owner known as ‘Mohammad Deepak’, was arrested in Kotdwar, Uttarakhand, on Thursday following allegations of assault and death threats against a local businessman, Sanjeev Tonk.

The dispute reportedly originated from a Facebook comment regarding a social media post about road widening work and a mosque in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. Tonk alleged that Kumar confronted him at his garment shop, used abusive language, and threatened his life.

Police initially registered the case under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for criminal intimidation and intentional insult. Following an investigation involving CCTV footage, additional charges were added, including Section 196 for promoting enmity between different groups and Section 115 for voluntarily causing hurt.

Authorities conducted a preventive arrest under Section 170 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) to maintain law and order. In response to the arrest and potential unrest, police conducted a flag march in the Kotdwar Municipal Corporation area and deployed additional forces at the local police station.