Video shows local Hindu man confronting Hindutva men harassing Muslim shopkeeper

A group of Bajrang Dal members allegedly confronted a Muslim shopkeeper in Kotdwar, Uttarakhand, and pressured him to change the name of his establishment, objecting to the use of “Baba Shop,” an incident captured in a video that later circulated widely on social media.

The footage, shared extensively on Facebook and other platforms, shows workers of the Hindu right-wing outfit questioning the shop’s name and claiming it was misleading, despite the shop’s signboard clearly displaying the owner’s name. The shop is located on Patel Marg, behind the Jama Masjid, in an area where both Hindu- and Muslim-owned businesses operate.

The confrontation reportedly de-escalated after a local Hindu resident, identified as Deepak Kumar, stepped in and challenged the group, asking under what authority they were dictating the name of a private business and urging them to leave. When asked to identify himself, he introduced himself as “Mohammad Deepak,” a response that appeared to unsettle the group, after which they left the area, Maktoob Media reported.

The shop owner, Shoaib Salmani, later told Maktoob that the incident had deeply disturbed him and left him feeling unsafe. He said the group demanded that he remove the shop’s name, arguing it was unacceptable, and continued to harass him even after he explained that “Baba Shop” was a brand name his family had used for around three decades. He also recalled that similar pressure had been exerted about four months earlier, following which he had added the owner’s name to the board at their insistence, even though he felt it was unnecessary.

Salmani said he initially lodged a complaint with the local police but described the matter as having subsided after Deepak’s intervention.

Rights activists have repeatedly warned that such incidents point to an increasing trend of moral policing and economic intimidation targeting Muslim traders, with vigilante groups attempting to control business names, religious identity, and public visibility without any legal mandate.

Deepak Kumar’s intervention has since drawn widespread praise online, with many users describing it as an example of solidarity and a reminder that ordinary citizens can stand up to mob intimidation. Salmani also expressed appreciation for Deepak’s actions, saying they demonstrated courage and humanity, and showed that such threats can be challenged when people stand up against them.