BHOPAL: A sub-inspector of the Madhya Pradesh police has been removed from active duty and attached to police lines after a video surfaced showing him instructing a gym owner to bar Muslim individuals from entering the premises.The 40-second clip, now widely shared on social media, shows Sub-Inspector Dinesh Sharma, posted at Ayodhya Nagar police station in Bhopal, seated with Bajrang Dal activists at a private gym. In the video, Sharma is heard telling the gym owner, “Let me tell you clearly, no Muslim will come here (to the gym), neither for imparting training nor getting trained.”Following the video’s circulation, Bhopal police’s Additional DCP Mahavir Singh confirmed that an internal inquiry has been initiated. “An internal probe has been ordered and the concerned sub-inspector who was posted at Ayodhya Nagar police station now stands attached to the police line,” Singh said.The incident is believed to have occurred several days ago when Bajrang Dal activists visited the gym in Ayodhya Nagar, objecting to the presence of Muslim trainers. Police were called to the scene to manage the situation, during which the video was reportedly recorded.The Bajrang Dal’s opposition to Muslim trainers has extended beyond Bhopal, with similar activities reported in Indore, Madhya Pradesh’s largest city. Their campaign gained momentum following the arrest of Mohsin Khan, a shooting coach accused of running an illegal shooting academy and allegedly involved in cases of rape and molestation.In another case fueling tensions, a 40-year-old man, Dinesh Mishra—coincidentally sharing a name with the sub-inspector but unrelated—allegedly attempted suicide in Indore. In his suicide note, he blamed his wife and her Muslim gym trainer for “destroying his life.”The situation in Bhopal has further escalated with controversial remarks from newly elected BJP MP and former mayor Alok Sharma. Addressing supporters on Sunday, Sharma announced plans to compile a list of gyms employing Muslim trainers and stated that female clients should only be trained by female instructors. “The list will soon be handed over to the police, which will then do its job. Madhya Pradesh has Dr Mohan Yadav’s government, which will not allow Love Jihad or Land Jihad to happen anywhere,” Sharma said.Sharma also drew criticism for opposing the late-night operation of shops in Muslim-majority areas like Qazi Camp and Shahjahanabad. “When shops in all other markets… are closed at 10 pm, how come shops at Qazi Camp and other areas be allowed to be open the entire night? Are those markets located in Pakistan?” he questioned, demanding police action through a formal memorandum.Responding to Sharma’s statements, Congress MLA from Bhopal-Central, Arif Masood, dismissed the remarks as political theatrics. “He (Sharma) is doing all this to increase his TRP,” Masood said.
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