India: Muslim Trainers Barred from Bhopal Gym After Police Warning Sparks Outrage

A viral video shows an Indian police officer instructing a gym owner to ban Muslims, prompting internal investigation and political support amid rising communal tensions in Madhya Pradesh.

By Abdullahi Yusuf

A video clip of Sub-Inspector Dinesh Sharma from Ayodhya Nagar Police Station, Bhopal, has triggered widespread concern after he was seen instructing a gym owner not to permit any Muslim trainers or trainees at the facility.

The officer’s remarks, made during a police visit to defuse tensions following a molestation case involving a trainer, have since gone viral. In the footage, Sharma is heard saying, “No Muslim will come here to give or take training. I have made it clear to you.”

The incident follows the arrest of Mohsin Khan, a shooting instructor from Indore, who is currently facing allegations of molestation during training sessions. While the legal process unfolds in that individual case, the sub-inspector’s generalised directive has drawn concern for equating criminal suspicion with collective identity.

Rights groups and legal analysts have cautioned against communal profiling, arguing that such sweeping restrictions infringe on constitutional rights and may deepen societal fault lines.

Bhopal MP and BJP leader Alok Sharma publicly supported the sub-inspector’s stance, announcing a compilation of gym trainers’ lists across the city and vowing to hand them to the police for action. “Love Jihad and Land Jihad will not be allowed in Madhya Pradesh,” he said, referring to controversial terms often used by Hindu nationalist groups.

Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Police officials confirmed an internal inquiry has been launched into the sub-inspector’s conduct.

Several community voices, including those from the Muslim community and civil society, have called for calm, urging authorities to ensure justice in the molestation case without resorting to discriminatory practices. They emphasised that justice must be pursued through evidence and due process, not through identity-based restrictions.

While the original incident involving Mohsin Khan is being probed, legal experts note that guilt in individual cases must not be allowed to fuel policies or practices that criminalise an entire faith community.

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