Bhopal cop taken off duty after video shows him saying “No Muslim will give or take training” at gym

A sub-inspector of the Madhya Pradesh Police has been removed from field duty and attached to police lines after a video surfaced showing him instructing a gym owner in Bhopal’s Ayodhya Nagar locality to not allow Muslim trainers or clients. The incident reportedly took place a few days ago after a group raised objections to the presence of Muslim trainers at the gym.

The officer, identified as SI Dinesh Sharma, is purportedly heard in the video saying, “No Muslim will come here to give or take training. I have made this clear to you.” The video, which has since circulated widely on social media, prompted an internal inquiry. Police officials confirmed that Sharma was removed from active duty pending the outcome of the investigation.

According to police sources, Sharma had been deployed at the gym to manage the situation after members of a right-wing group reached the location and raised objections. A senior officer stated, “The SI had reached the spot because the members of the pro-Hindutva organisations turned up, and his presence was necessary to maintain law and order. We are investigating the allegations.”

Following the incident, BJP MP from Bhopal Alok Sharma said that a list of gym instructors in the city had been compiled and would be shared with the police. He stated, “The list of gym trainers will be handed over to police, who will act according to the law.” He also insisted that women clients should be trained exclusively by female instructors.

Congress MLA Arif Masood criticised the action and questioned the rationale behind targeting gym trainers based on religion. He said, “Is running a gym now a crime? If it’s being run following rules, then what is the problem?” Similar objections against Muslim trainers have also been reported in Indore following the arrest of shooting coach Mohsin Khan in a separate case involving allegations of operating an unlicensed academy and sexual misconduct.