Bihar police detain man who announced 2 Lakh award for killing Mohammad Deepak
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New Delhi: Bihar Police on Monday took into custody a man who had publicly announced a reward of ₹2 lakh for killing Uttarakhand-based gym owner Deepak Kumar, days after Kumar drew national attention for intervening to protect an elderly Muslim shopkeeper from alleged Bajrang Dal harassment.
The detention followed an FIR that Kumar lodged with the Uttarakhand Police on Sunday, February 8. The accused, identified as Utkarsh Singh from Motihari district in Bihar, had uploaded a video on social media in which he issued threats against Kumar.
According to the complaint, Singh circulated a video targeting Kumar for standing up for 70-year-old shopkeeper Vakeel Ahmed. Kumar has reportedly been subjected to sustained intimidation and online threats from Hindutva supporters ever since a clip showing him confronting the attackers went viral.
As per reports, the FIR was registered late on Sunday night under Section 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which deals with threats to cause death or grievous injury.
Kumar told the police that he came across the threatening video online. In the clip, Singh is seen wearing a tilak and holding bundles of cash while allegedly declaring, ‘Whoever kills Mohammad Deepak and carries out the task of ‘educating’ him about Sanatan Dharma, will be given ₹2 lakh’, Singh is heard saying in the video according to Kumar’s complaint, The Wore reported.
The incident that triggered the controversy took place on January 26 in Kotdwar, Uttarakhand, when Bajrang Dal members allegedly harassed Ahmed and pressured him to remove the word “Baba” from the name of his shop, Baba School Dress and Matching Centre. The group reportedly claimed that the term was linked to a local deity associated with Hanuman.
Kumar intervened during the confrontation and, when asked his name, identified himself as “Mohammad Deepak”. A video of the exchange subsequently circulated widely on social media, bringing him intense public attention.
On January 31, Bajrang Dal members reportedly assembled outside Kumar’s gym, allegedly to intimidate him. Media reports said the gym has since seen a sharp drop in visitors.
Kumar was quoted as saying that while many people in the town support him, acts of honesty are rarely applauded and often come at a personal cost.
