A desperate bid for social media stardom backfired spectacularly for a Motihari youth who promised Rs 2 lakh to anyone slapping an Uttarakhand man he’d branded ‘Mohammad Deepak.’ What started as a local shop name dispute in Kotdwar has escalated into a cross-state police operation, forcing the offender to apologize publicly at the station.
Flashback to Republic Day 2026 in Kotdwar’s Patel Marg. A longstanding garment shop, Baba School Dress and Matching Center, became a flashpoint when activists from Hindu groups urged its owner to drop the ‘Baba’ moniker. Local resident Deepak jumped into the fray, defiantly calling himself Mohammad Deepak to ridicule the demands. The clip’s virality turned him into an overnight sensation online.
Enter Utakarsh from Bihar’s Motihari. Feeling overshadowed, he unleashed his retort on Facebook and YouTube: a direct threat offering cash for physical assault on Deepak. ‘Slap this betrayer of his faith, and claim your Rs 200,000 reward,’ he declared, justifying it as retribution for Deepak’s alleged insult to Hindu traditions and parental legacy.
Deepak wasted no time, lodging an FIR in Kotdwar. Digital sleuthing led police to Utakarsh’s Motihari address. Bihar cops hauled him in, where he issued a coerced video apology. But his words rang hollow: ‘Someone who forsakes their religion and parents can’t serve society,’ he maintained, unrepentant about the bounty.
This saga underscores the perils of weaponizing social platforms for notoriety. Law enforcement’s coordinated response not only neutralized the immediate threat but also sent a message: online hate speech with violent incitement will face real accountability. As investigations continue, Utakarsh’s brush with the law may deter others from similar stunts.