Who Is Nitesh Soni? Gym Owner Stands by Kotdwar’s Deepak, Urges Citizens to Forget Hindu-Muslim Divide

Kotdwar, Uttarakhand: The controversy surrounding Mohammad Deepak, the gym employee who confronted Bajrang Dal activists over the naming of a shop as ‘Baba’ in Kotdwar, Pauri Garhwal, continues to escalate. Deepak had faced protests and even an attempted attack for standing up against the activists. Amid the rising tensions, Nitesh Soni, the owner of the gym where Deepak works, has now come forward to publicly support him.

Who is Nitesh Soni?
Nitesh Soni runs the gym where Deepak is employed. In a video shared on social media, Soni praised Deepak for his courageous stand and urged people to support him on the basis of humanity, rather than religion. “Deepak stepped up for humanity,” Soni said. “Look at what he is facing today. Today, forget Hindu and Muslim. Today, we speak only of humanity.” He also encouraged people to share the video widely.

Soni added that Deepak’s life could be at risk and emphasized the need for his safety. “Today, there should be no Hindu or Muslim—today we talk about humanity. Deepak must remain safe. Truth alone prevails (Satyamev Jayate),” he said. The gym run by Soni is located near the ‘Baba’ clothing shop, which is the center of the dispute.

Police Assure Security
The tensions in Kotdwar reached a peak on Sunday following an attempted attack on Deepak. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi also extended his support on social media, calling Deepak “a hero of India” and criticizing the BJP and RSS for allegedly promoting communal divides. Deepak later shared a video stating that the police had assured him of protection, expressing gratitude for public support and urging calm.

Unusual Show of Solidarity
Support for Deepak has poured in from local residents, some showing it in unique ways. In one instance, a supporter named Danish, along with friends, visited Deepak and offered him water. Danish then drank the same water after Deepak, symbolically highlighting unity and the need to end discrimination. “We are all children of the same mother and father. Stop separating us,” he said.