CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas met Deepak Kumar, the Hindu man facing intimidation and backlash after standing up for an elderly Muslim shopkeeper targeted by a communal mob, in Uttarakhand's Kotdwar today. The visit took place as police increased security across the town amid rising tensions and criticism over the handling of the case.
Brittas spent time with Deepak and his family, walked through the streets of Kotdwar with him and with 70-year-old Wakeel Ahmed, the shopkeeper who was harassed. He also visited Deepak's gymnasium, which has seen a sharp drop in membership following threats. In a symbolic gesture, Brittas signed up for a membership at the gym. Later, he met Deepak's mother at her tea shop; he noted afterwards that she expressed immense pride in her son's actions.
The controversy began when Ahmed's shop, Baba School Dress, was targeted by a group claiming to be from the Bajrang Dal. Their objection was ostensibly to the word "Baba" in the shop's name, arguing it could be confused with Siddhbali Baba, a well-known Hanuman temple in Kotdwar. However, locals and observers pointed out that several other shops in the area use the word without objection, suggesting the true motive was the shopkeeper's religious identity.
As the mob surrounded and harassed the septuagenarian, Deepak intervened to protect him. When the group turned on Deepak and demanded his name, he replied, "My name is Mohammed Deepak." The response further enraged the mob. Soon after, a crowd gathered outside Deepak's home, chanting communal slogans in an attempt to intimidate him into silence.
While Deepak's actions were widely praised on social media, he also became the target of online abuse and hostile media coverage, with some outlets attempting to brand him a "communal traitor." During the visit, Brittas stopped at Ahmed's shop to purchase clothes and later visited the local police station to raise concerns over what he described as "selective action"-specifically, the registration of a case against Deepak while there was none against the harassers.
Brittas stated he carried "the message of Kerala" to Deepak and his family, adding that the young man's courage "deeply touched" him. "Communal and social harmony should be above all differences," he said.
Meanwhile, police said they have stepped up security in Kotdwar. On Tuesday, additional force was deployed across major routes, markets, and public areas. In a statement, Pauri Garhwal Police said the measures were aimed at "strengthening peace, security, and law and order in the Kotdwar municipal area" through "continuous, sustained, and effective vigilance".
"Police teams are conducting regular patrols and intensive checking drives, thoroughly examining vehicles, suspicious individuals, and activities, so that any undesirable or law-and-order-disrupting activity can be identified in time and necessary legal action ensured," the statement said.
