August 29, 2026
‘Saathiya’ actress Sandhya Mridul calls out salon discrimination after domestic help denied haircut: ‘It’s the mindset’

‘Saathiya’ actress Sandhya Mridul calls out salon discrimination after domestic help denied haircut: ‘It’s the mindset’

Vamsikrishna03 mins mins

Actor Sandhya Mridul expressed anger after a young domestic worker was denied haircuts at two salons, highlighting systemic discrimination. Her mother had to plead for the service, underscoring the need for dignity and respect for all. Mridul emphasized this reflects a broader societal mindset, not just isolated incidents, sparking a debate on domestic help treatment….

Read More
Indian founder Swapnil Srivastav gets rejected for US visa for ‘not enough ties to home country’

Indian founder Swapnil Srivastav gets rejected for US visa for ‘not enough ties to home country’

Vamsikrishna02 mins mins

Indian founder shares experience of his US visa denied. Indian entrepreneur Swapnil Srivastav, a co-founder of a bamboo-based kids’ wear brand, shared the experience of getting his US visa for tourism purposes, getting rejected over inadequate ties to India. “I built a Series A company from scratch, employ 100+ people, have backing from top VCs…

Read More
Will TMC’s rebellion deliver what elections couldn’t — a stronger NDA in Lok Sabha? | India News

Will TMC’s rebellion deliver what elections couldn’t — a stronger NDA in Lok Sabha? | India News

Vamsikrishna08 mins mins

TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee (File photo) NEW DELHI: Trinamool Congress is staring at what could become the biggest rupture in its 28-year history. Just weeks after suffering a bruising defeat in West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee’s party now finds itself battling a full-fledged internal uprising that threatens not only its influence in the state but could…

Read More
Akshay Kumar, Vidya Balan and Raashii Khanna to shoot romantic track in Dehradun for untitled Anees Bazmee film

Akshay Kumar, Vidya Balan and Raashii Khanna to shoot romantic track in Dehradun for untitled Anees Bazmee film

Vamsikrishna02 mins mins

Akshay Kumar, Vidya Balan, and Raashii Khanna are moving ahead with work on their yet-untitled romantic comedy directed by Anees Bazmee. The actors recently shot parts of a romantic track in Mumbai after finishing the film’s Kerala schedule in May. The team will next travel to Dehradun in July to complete the remaining portions of…

Read More
Harnessing Immune Memory: A New Hope for Cancer Survivors |

Harnessing Immune Memory: A New Hope for Cancer Survivors |

Vamsikrishna06 mins mins

How immune memory helps cancer survivors face their worst nightmare (AI Representational image) Every year the world observes National Cancer Survivors Month in June, celebrating the growing number of people who have successfully completed cancer treatment and are building lives beyond their diagnosis.For many survivors, however, the end of treatment does not always bring complete…

Read More
Meet Diane Hendricks: From dairy farm roots to America’s richest self-made billionaire with a .7 billion empire | World News

Meet Diane Hendricks: From dairy farm roots to America’s richest self-made billionaire with a $21.7 billion empire | World News

Vamsikrishna04 mins mins

Diane Hendricks’ rise to billionaire status stands out in modern American business for its simplicity rather than spectacle. Unlike tech founders or consumer brand moguls, her wealth was built in the unglamorous but essential world of building materials and contractor supply chains. Born and raised in Wisconsin on a dairy farm, she co-founded ABC Supply…

Read More
File photo Ayodhya has witnessed a sharp rise in visitor numbers over the past few years. This increase has coincided with the construction and inauguration of the Ram Temple in 2024, along with a broader infrastructure push across the temple town.According to a Press Information Bureau release, the number of visitors to the district increased from 6,022,618 in 2020 to 164,419,522 in 2024. State tourism figures also show that Ayodhya recorded more than 2.84 lakh visitors in 2017, rising to 2.39 crore in 2022, 5.75 crore in 2023 and over 16.44 crore in 2024. In fact, in the first quarter of 2025 alone, the city recorded more than 20 crore visitors, according to official data.The expansion of transport infrastructure has been central to accommodating the increase in arrivals. The redevelopment of the Ayodhya Dham railway station, along with the inauguration of Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, has significantly enhanced connectivity to the temple town. It currently connects Ayodhya with major Indian cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Kolkata.Official data of the Uttar Pradesh government says that the total tourist footfall across the state increased from 23.75 crore in 2017 to more than 109.65 crore in the first quarter of 2025. Ayodhya has accounted for a substantial share of that growth, with official figures indicating that nearly one in five domestic tourists visiting Uttar Pradesh in recent years travelled to the temple town.The tourism surge has also created opportunities for businesses linked to hospitality, retail, transport and pilgrimage services. Local traders, hotel operators, transport providers and small businesses have reported an increase in demand as the number of visitors grow. This rise in tourism is linked to new investments and employment generation across sectors associated with the visitor economy.The economic impact of the tourism surge is also reflected in local incomes and government revenues. According to a study published by the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Lucknow in February, based on Ayodhya’s post-temple economy, the average daily earnings of a shopkeeper in the city have increased nearly fivefold, from around Rs 400-500 a day before the recent tourism boom to approximately Rs 2,500 a day.The study further found significant appreciation in property values, with real estate prices rising by 25-40% across the city and by as much as five to ten times in areas surrounding the Ram Mandir.The increase in commercial activity has also translated into higher tax collections. It was also noted that Ayodhya has generated around Rs 400 crore in Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenue.Read the latest news on the go. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosDelhi LG Proposes Recruitment of Former Agniveers to Address Fire Department VacanciesWayanad Health Alert: 25 Students Admitted With Suspected Shigella InfectionZojila Tunnel Breakthrough: Major Milestone In India’s Most Challenging Himalayan Infra ProjectCongress Loses Last Rajya Sabha Presence In Gujarat As BJP Sweeps Seats;MP Contest Turns High-Stakes8 Workers Killed, Several Critical After Molten Steel Explosion At Vizag Steel PlantAmit Shah Chairs High-Level Yamuna Review Meet, Pushes Integrated Action Plan For River RejuvenationKashmiri Diaspora Stages Massive UK Protests Against Alleged Military Crackdown In PoKIndia Tears Into Pakistan At UN, Calls Airstrikes On Afghanistan ‘Massacre’ And ‘Hypocrisy’Supreme Court Pulls Up CBSE Over Delay In Class 12 Improvement Results, Seeks Solution By FridayInternet Cut, Drones Deployed As Jaipur Widens Key Road Amid Encroachment Row | Watch123PhotostoriesSuccess quote of the day by Steve Jobs: “Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is…”Canterbury Bells to Foxgloves in June: 6 low-maintenance plants that can help fill garden gapsFrom saving to spending: 5 essential money lessons every child should learnSolar storms and human health: Should we really be worried?Inside star footballer Cristiano Ronaldo’s ₹1,000+ crore real estate empire: Mansions, penthouses, and luxury villas across the globe6 social etiquettes every child should be taught and 6 reasons they can benefit a child’s futureKatrina Kaif to Deepika Padukone: Desi hair-care remedies Bollywood’s leading actresses swear by for healthy locksOutdoor living room ideas: 7 Beautiful, design-led ways to bring indoor comfort outside using style, light and decor10 popular home design styles shaping modern real estateArchana Puran Singh’s luxurious Madh Island mansion: A big garden, bedrooms with a dreamy skyline, and a fancy vanity123Hot PicksMHT CET Result 2026FIFA World Cup England SquadMike BabcockUPSC Success StorySpiceJet’s cashCommercial LPG shortageBrock LesnarCUET UG 2026 Answer KeyITR filing FY 2025-26Top TrendingBAN vs AUS Live ScoreUS Iran warGold Rate TodayFIFA World Cup 2026Driving Licence ValidityChennai TNSTC BusGautam PatelDU Professor Murder CaseVisakhapatnam Steel Plant AccidentCBSE Class 12 re-evaluation

File photo Ayodhya has witnessed a sharp rise in visitor numbers over the past few years. This increase has coincided with the construction and inauguration of the Ram Temple in 2024, along with a broader infrastructure push across the temple town.According to a Press Information Bureau release, the number of visitors to the district increased from 6,022,618 in 2020 to 164,419,522 in 2024. State tourism figures also show that Ayodhya recorded more than 2.84 lakh visitors in 2017, rising to 2.39 crore in 2022, 5.75 crore in 2023 and over 16.44 crore in 2024. In fact, in the first quarter of 2025 alone, the city recorded more than 20 crore visitors, according to official data.The expansion of transport infrastructure has been central to accommodating the increase in arrivals. The redevelopment of the Ayodhya Dham railway station, along with the inauguration of Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, has significantly enhanced connectivity to the temple town. It currently connects Ayodhya with major Indian cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Kolkata.Official data of the Uttar Pradesh government says that the total tourist footfall across the state increased from 23.75 crore in 2017 to more than 109.65 crore in the first quarter of 2025. Ayodhya has accounted for a substantial share of that growth, with official figures indicating that nearly one in five domestic tourists visiting Uttar Pradesh in recent years travelled to the temple town.The tourism surge has also created opportunities for businesses linked to hospitality, retail, transport and pilgrimage services. Local traders, hotel operators, transport providers and small businesses have reported an increase in demand as the number of visitors grow. This rise in tourism is linked to new investments and employment generation across sectors associated with the visitor economy.The economic impact of the tourism surge is also reflected in local incomes and government revenues. According to a study published by the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Lucknow in February, based on Ayodhya’s post-temple economy, the average daily earnings of a shopkeeper in the city have increased nearly fivefold, from around Rs 400-500 a day before the recent tourism boom to approximately Rs 2,500 a day.The study further found significant appreciation in property values, with real estate prices rising by 25-40% across the city and by as much as five to ten times in areas surrounding the Ram Mandir.The increase in commercial activity has also translated into higher tax collections. It was also noted that Ayodhya has generated around Rs 400 crore in Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenue.Read the latest news on the go. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosDelhi LG Proposes Recruitment of Former Agniveers to Address Fire Department VacanciesWayanad Health Alert: 25 Students Admitted With Suspected Shigella InfectionZojila Tunnel Breakthrough: Major Milestone In India’s Most Challenging Himalayan Infra ProjectCongress Loses Last Rajya Sabha Presence In Gujarat As BJP Sweeps Seats;MP Contest Turns High-Stakes8 Workers Killed, Several Critical After Molten Steel Explosion At Vizag Steel PlantAmit Shah Chairs High-Level Yamuna Review Meet, Pushes Integrated Action Plan For River RejuvenationKashmiri Diaspora Stages Massive UK Protests Against Alleged Military Crackdown In PoKIndia Tears Into Pakistan At UN, Calls Airstrikes On Afghanistan ‘Massacre’ And ‘Hypocrisy’Supreme Court Pulls Up CBSE Over Delay In Class 12 Improvement Results, Seeks Solution By FridayInternet Cut, Drones Deployed As Jaipur Widens Key Road Amid Encroachment Row | Watch123PhotostoriesSuccess quote of the day by Steve Jobs: “Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is…”Canterbury Bells to Foxgloves in June: 6 low-maintenance plants that can help fill garden gapsFrom saving to spending: 5 essential money lessons every child should learnSolar storms and human health: Should we really be worried?Inside star footballer Cristiano Ronaldo’s ₹1,000+ crore real estate empire: Mansions, penthouses, and luxury villas across the globe6 social etiquettes every child should be taught and 6 reasons they can benefit a child’s futureKatrina Kaif to Deepika Padukone: Desi hair-care remedies Bollywood’s leading actresses swear by for healthy locksOutdoor living room ideas: 7 Beautiful, design-led ways to bring indoor comfort outside using style, light and decor10 popular home design styles shaping modern real estateArchana Puran Singh’s luxurious Madh Island mansion: A big garden, bedrooms with a dreamy skyline, and a fancy vanity123Hot PicksMHT CET Result 2026FIFA World Cup England SquadMike BabcockUPSC Success StorySpiceJet’s cashCommercial LPG shortageBrock LesnarCUET UG 2026 Answer KeyITR filing FY 2025-26Top TrendingBAN vs AUS Live ScoreUS Iran warGold Rate TodayFIFA World Cup 2026Driving Licence ValidityChennai TNSTC BusGautam PatelDU Professor Murder CaseVisakhapatnam Steel Plant AccidentCBSE Class 12 re-evaluation

Vamsikrishna03 mins mins

Ayodhya has witnessed a sharp rise in visitor numbers over the past few years. This increase has coincided with the construction and inauguration of the Ram Temple in 2024, along with a broader infrastructure push across the temple town.According to a Press Information Bureau release, the number of visitors to the district increased from 6,022,618…

Read More
Harmanpreet Kaur returns to top 10 in latest ICC rankings ahead of Women’s T20 World Cup | Cricket News

Harmanpreet Kaur returns to top 10 in latest ICC rankings ahead of Women’s T20 World Cup | Cricket News

Vamsikrishna02 mins mins

Harmanpreet Kaur (Getty Images) NEW DELHI: Ahead of the Women’s T20 World Cup in England and Wales, India captain Harmanpreet Kaur has received a timely boost, returning to the top 10 of the ICC Women’s T20I batting rankings following her match-winning performance against England.The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday released the latest women’s rankings,…

Read More
SpaceX IPO: Elon Musk’s firm sees massive oversubscription as institutional orders top billion

SpaceX IPO: Elon Musk’s firm sees massive oversubscription as institutional orders top $10 billion

Vamsikrishna03 mins mins

SpaceX’s blockbuster initial public offering has attracted more than $10 billion in orders from institutional investors, signalling strong demand for what could become the largest IPO in history, according to Bloomberg sources.Banks managing the offering are expected to stop accepting orders from institutional investors after US markets close on Wednesday, giving them time to assess…

Read More
‘Baby Do Die Do’ teaser: Huma Qureshi turns into a ruthless deaf-mute assassin armed with red umbrella – Watch

‘Baby Do Die Do’ teaser: Huma Qureshi turns into a ruthless deaf-mute assassin armed with red umbrella – Watch

Vamsikrishna03 mins mins

The makers of ‘Baby Do Die Do’ have finally unveiled the teaser of the upcoming mystery thriller, offering audiences a peek into a world packed with danger, suspense, and dark comedy. Fronted by Huma Qureshi, the film appears to blend crime, action, and eccentric storytelling, with the actress stepping into one of the most unconventional…

Read More
Deep-sea radioactive waste mystery: Scientists begin hunt for 200,000 nuclear barrels dumped in the Atlantic Ocean

Deep-sea radioactive waste mystery: Scientists begin hunt for 200,000 nuclear barrels dumped in the Atlantic Ocean

Vamsikrishna05 mins mins

Four kilometres beneath the surface of the Atlantic Ocean, beyond the reach of sunlight and far from shipping lanes, lies a forgotten chapter of the nuclear age.Scattered across a vast stretch of seabed are more than 200,000 barrels of radioactive waste. They were lowered into the ocean over several decades during the second half of…

Read More
AI representational image The gym was supposed to be neutral territory where people arrived in all shapes and sizes to sweat through their weights and workouts. Nobody cared what you were called or who you prayed to. Over the past few months, however, a mix of criminal cases and viral claims has brought communal suspicion into a space that once seemed insulated from it.Like ‘love jihad’, ‘thook jihad’, ‘land jihad’ and ‘UPSC jihad’, the latest addition to this growing vocabulary of compound nouns is ‘gym jihad’. In January, police in Mirzapur alleged some gym owners and trainers were using fitness centres to befriend women, film compromising videos and pressure them into conversion. In March, a Saharanpur gym trainer was accused of drugging a nursing student’s protein drink and sexually assaulting her.By April, right-wing groups in Karnataka’s Hubballi were protesting outside a police station, claiming gyms had become hubs of ‘love jihad’. In the last four years, more than a dozen such cases have surfaced. On May 19, authorities in Mirzapur booked 10 gym operators under the Gangsters Act.The most recent flashpoint unfolded in Shamli, Uttar Pradesh, where the family of 30-year-old Ayush Malik accused a female gym trainer-physiotherapist of a calculated conspiracy. According to the police complaint filed by Malik’s father, a pharmaceutical businessman, the accused trainer engineered a relationship to brainwash his son, coercing him into a secret nikah and a new identity as Mohammad Ali to usurp the family’s property.The narrative fractured when Ayush publicly rejected the allegations, asserting he converted entirely of his own free will after a decade of studying Islam. Despite his defense, local authorities registered an FIR under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act and arrested both the gym trainer and her father.In such cases, even before the charges can be verified, social media amplifies the narrative. One viral video last month claimed a Delhi-based Muslim gym instructor was using personal training sessions to advance an agenda. Fact-checkers later debunked the clip as manipulated, but not before it spread widely through WhatsApp groups.The resulting anxieties rarely manifest as overt violence. Gurgaon-based fitness enthusiast Himesh Nanda (name changed) says he began noticing more overt religious symbolism among trainers after the UP cases gained traction online.“You’ll see the red and yellow thread — the kalawa — very prominently on wrists now,” he says. “And more conspicuous displays of tattoos with imagery like Mahadev, Bajrangbali, Om, Ram, etc. In my knowledge, they are more closely associated with akharas and pehlwani culture than with urban gym chains.”In Hubballi, a 23-year-old Muslim gym trainer, Sameer Mulla, was assaulted by local groups over allegations involving a young Hindu woman. While right-wing outfits branded the case as ‘love jihad’, city police and the woman’s family cited rape, blackmail and abduction. “The fact is that we have a victim of sexual abuse and an accused person, and we have taken necessary legal action. A fitness trainer is a fitness trainer. Which community or caste a person belongs to is not a matter of concern for us,” TOI was told by police commissioner N Shashi Kumar, who led the investigation.In Bhopal last year, right-wing activists demanded gym owners pledge not to employ Muslim men and organised mass recitations of the Hanuman Chalisa inside gyms. The controversy escalated when a police officer was filmed ordering a gym to ban Muslim staff and clients. Senior officials later suspended the sub-inspector for issuing the directive.“But suspension hardly works. There is always a new fever in MP. Sometimes it’s ‘thook jihad’ because of an unverified viral video of a fruit vendor gargling water over a fruit cart, or it’s ‘land jihad’ or ‘UPSC jihad’. The community is routinely targeted to deflect attention from other administrative issues,” says Bhopal-based advocate Deepak Bundele, who has routinely petitioned the NHRC on alleged ‘love jihad’ cases.Members of the community have also challenged the cases in court. “Under what law have the gym owners been arrested in Mirzapur,” asks Anas Tanwir, founder of the Indian Civil Liberties Union. The Supreme Court is reviewing the Gangsters Act used in the case, but Tanwir says that despite earlier rulings that allegations alone are insufficient grounds for arrest, youth remain in jail for indefinite periods.In north Delhi’s Wazirabad, Sultan Shaikh insists his gym is “not a battleground in the culture wars”. He has run GS Fitness, a neighbourhood gym, for five-six years. His Instagram reels mix workout clips with messages against violence, hate and vandalism, and draws on Hindu religious values. “People hear rumours, then they go shouting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and vandalise places. I tell them to first understand what Ram actually stood for.”The response is often hostile. “People comment asking if I’m running a madrasa or a temple in the name of a gym,” he says. But Shaikh insists that “all this ‘gym jihad’ nonsense is political tactics.”Yet gym-goers like Prachi, a Pune-based fitness enthusiast, proudly says her gym does not hire Muslim trainers. “That makes me feel safe,” says the 35-year-old IT professional, who also recounts how her husband’s friend “saved” a cousin in Vidarbha from a Muslim gym trainer after they had an affair. “When a Hindu trainer misbehaves with a Hindu girl in a gym, at least there is no added fear of conversion, right?”Read the latest news on the go. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorSneha BhuraSneha Bhura is an Assistant Editor with The Times of India. She loves exploring stories at the intersection of culture and technology. She is also a published poet and podcaster. Her debut poetry collection ‘Velvet Grapes’ was released in 2021.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosDelhi LG Proposes Recruitment of Former Agniveers to Address Fire Department VacanciesWayanad Health Alert: 25 Students Admitted With Suspected Shigella InfectionZojila Tunnel Breakthrough: Major Milestone In India’s Most Challenging Himalayan Infra ProjectCongress Loses Last Rajya Sabha Presence In Gujarat As BJP Sweeps Seats;MP Contest Turns High-Stakes8 Workers Killed, Several Critical After Molten Steel Explosion At Vizag Steel PlantAmit Shah Chairs High-Level Yamuna Review Meet, Pushes Integrated Action Plan For River RejuvenationKashmiri Diaspora Stages Massive UK Protests Against Alleged Military Crackdown In PoJKIndia Tears Into Pakistan At UN, Calls Airstrikes On Afghanistan ‘Massacre’ And ‘Hypocrisy’Supreme Court Pulls Up CBSE Over Delay In Class 12 Improvement Results, Seeks Solution By FridayInternet Cut, Drones Deployed As Jaipur Widens Key Road Amid Encroachment Row | Watch123PhotostoriesSuccess quote of the day by Steve Jobs: “Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is…”Canterbury Bells to Foxgloves in June: 6 low-maintenance plants that can help fill garden gapsFrom saving to spending: 5 essential money lessons every child should learnSolar storms and human health: Should we really be worried?Inside star footballer Cristiano Ronaldo’s ₹1,000+ crore real estate empire: Mansions, penthouses, and luxury villas across the globe6 social etiquettes every child should be taught and 6 reasons they can benefit a child’s futureKatrina Kaif to Deepika Padukone: Desi hair-care remedies Bollywood’s leading actresses swear by for healthy locksOutdoor living room ideas: 7 Beautiful, design-led ways to bring indoor comfort outside using style, light and decor10 popular home design styles shaping modern real estateArchana Puran Singh’s luxurious Madh Island mansion: A big garden, bedrooms with a dreamy skyline, and a fancy vanity123Hot PicksMHT CET Result 2026FIFA World Cup England SquadMike BabcockUPSC Success StorySpiceJet’s cashCommercial LPG shortageBrock LesnarCUET UG 2026 Answer KeyITR filing FY 2025-26Top TrendingBAN vs AUS Live ScoreUS Iran warGold Rate TodayFIFA World Cup 2026Driving Licence ValidityChennai TNSTC BusGautam PatelDU Professor Murder CaseVisakhapatnam Steel Plant AccidentCBSE Class 12 re-evaluation

AI representational image The gym was supposed to be neutral territory where people arrived in all shapes and sizes to sweat through their weights and workouts. Nobody cared what you were called or who you prayed to. Over the past few months, however, a mix of criminal cases and viral claims has brought communal suspicion into a space that once seemed insulated from it.Like ‘love jihad’, ‘thook jihad’, ‘land jihad’ and ‘UPSC jihad’, the latest addition to this growing vocabulary of compound nouns is ‘gym jihad’. In January, police in Mirzapur alleged some gym owners and trainers were using fitness centres to befriend women, film compromising videos and pressure them into conversion. In March, a Saharanpur gym trainer was accused of drugging a nursing student’s protein drink and sexually assaulting her.By April, right-wing groups in Karnataka’s Hubballi were protesting outside a police station, claiming gyms had become hubs of ‘love jihad’. In the last four years, more than a dozen such cases have surfaced. On May 19, authorities in Mirzapur booked 10 gym operators under the Gangsters Act.The most recent flashpoint unfolded in Shamli, Uttar Pradesh, where the family of 30-year-old Ayush Malik accused a female gym trainer-physiotherapist of a calculated conspiracy. According to the police complaint filed by Malik’s father, a pharmaceutical businessman, the accused trainer engineered a relationship to brainwash his son, coercing him into a secret nikah and a new identity as Mohammad Ali to usurp the family’s property.The narrative fractured when Ayush publicly rejected the allegations, asserting he converted entirely of his own free will after a decade of studying Islam. Despite his defense, local authorities registered an FIR under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act and arrested both the gym trainer and her father.In such cases, even before the charges can be verified, social media amplifies the narrative. One viral video last month claimed a Delhi-based Muslim gym instructor was using personal training sessions to advance an agenda. Fact-checkers later debunked the clip as manipulated, but not before it spread widely through WhatsApp groups.The resulting anxieties rarely manifest as overt violence. Gurgaon-based fitness enthusiast Himesh Nanda (name changed) says he began noticing more overt religious symbolism among trainers after the UP cases gained traction online.“You’ll see the red and yellow thread — the kalawa — very prominently on wrists now,” he says. “And more conspicuous displays of tattoos with imagery like Mahadev, Bajrangbali, Om, Ram, etc. In my knowledge, they are more closely associated with akharas and pehlwani culture than with urban gym chains.”In Hubballi, a 23-year-old Muslim gym trainer, Sameer Mulla, was assaulted by local groups over allegations involving a young Hindu woman. While right-wing outfits branded the case as ‘love jihad’, city police and the woman’s family cited rape, blackmail and abduction. “The fact is that we have a victim of sexual abuse and an accused person, and we have taken necessary legal action. A fitness trainer is a fitness trainer. Which community or caste a person belongs to is not a matter of concern for us,” TOI was told by police commissioner N Shashi Kumar, who led the investigation.In Bhopal last year, right-wing activists demanded gym owners pledge not to employ Muslim men and organised mass recitations of the Hanuman Chalisa inside gyms. The controversy escalated when a police officer was filmed ordering a gym to ban Muslim staff and clients. Senior officials later suspended the sub-inspector for issuing the directive.“But suspension hardly works. There is always a new fever in MP. Sometimes it’s ‘thook jihad’ because of an unverified viral video of a fruit vendor gargling water over a fruit cart, or it’s ‘land jihad’ or ‘UPSC jihad’. The community is routinely targeted to deflect attention from other administrative issues,” says Bhopal-based advocate Deepak Bundele, who has routinely petitioned the NHRC on alleged ‘love jihad’ cases.Members of the community have also challenged the cases in court. “Under what law have the gym owners been arrested in Mirzapur,” asks Anas Tanwir, founder of the Indian Civil Liberties Union. The Supreme Court is reviewing the Gangsters Act used in the case, but Tanwir says that despite earlier rulings that allegations alone are insufficient grounds for arrest, youth remain in jail for indefinite periods.In north Delhi’s Wazirabad, Sultan Shaikh insists his gym is “not a battleground in the culture wars”. He has run GS Fitness, a neighbourhood gym, for five-six years. His Instagram reels mix workout clips with messages against violence, hate and vandalism, and draws on Hindu religious values. “People hear rumours, then they go shouting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and vandalise places. I tell them to first understand what Ram actually stood for.”The response is often hostile. “People comment asking if I’m running a madrasa or a temple in the name of a gym,” he says. But Shaikh insists that “all this ‘gym jihad’ nonsense is political tactics.”Yet gym-goers like Prachi, a Pune-based fitness enthusiast, proudly says her gym does not hire Muslim trainers. “That makes me feel safe,” says the 35-year-old IT professional, who also recounts how her husband’s friend “saved” a cousin in Vidarbha from a Muslim gym trainer after they had an affair. “When a Hindu trainer misbehaves with a Hindu girl in a gym, at least there is no added fear of conversion, right?”Read the latest news on the go. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorSneha BhuraSneha Bhura is an Assistant Editor with The Times of India. She loves exploring stories at the intersection of culture and technology. She is also a published poet and podcaster. Her debut poetry collection ‘Velvet Grapes’ was released in 2021.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosDelhi LG Proposes Recruitment of Former Agniveers to Address Fire Department VacanciesWayanad Health Alert: 25 Students Admitted With Suspected Shigella InfectionZojila Tunnel Breakthrough: Major Milestone In India’s Most Challenging Himalayan Infra ProjectCongress Loses Last Rajya Sabha Presence In Gujarat As BJP Sweeps Seats;MP Contest Turns High-Stakes8 Workers Killed, Several Critical After Molten Steel Explosion At Vizag Steel PlantAmit Shah Chairs High-Level Yamuna Review Meet, Pushes Integrated Action Plan For River RejuvenationKashmiri Diaspora Stages Massive UK Protests Against Alleged Military Crackdown In PoJKIndia Tears Into Pakistan At UN, Calls Airstrikes On Afghanistan ‘Massacre’ And ‘Hypocrisy’Supreme Court Pulls Up CBSE Over Delay In Class 12 Improvement Results, Seeks Solution By FridayInternet Cut, Drones Deployed As Jaipur Widens Key Road Amid Encroachment Row | Watch123PhotostoriesSuccess quote of the day by Steve Jobs: “Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is…”Canterbury Bells to Foxgloves in June: 6 low-maintenance plants that can help fill garden gapsFrom saving to spending: 5 essential money lessons every child should learnSolar storms and human health: Should we really be worried?Inside star footballer Cristiano Ronaldo’s ₹1,000+ crore real estate empire: Mansions, penthouses, and luxury villas across the globe6 social etiquettes every child should be taught and 6 reasons they can benefit a child’s futureKatrina Kaif to Deepika Padukone: Desi hair-care remedies Bollywood’s leading actresses swear by for healthy locksOutdoor living room ideas: 7 Beautiful, design-led ways to bring indoor comfort outside using style, light and decor10 popular home design styles shaping modern real estateArchana Puran Singh’s luxurious Madh Island mansion: A big garden, bedrooms with a dreamy skyline, and a fancy vanity123Hot PicksMHT CET Result 2026FIFA World Cup England SquadMike BabcockUPSC Success StorySpiceJet’s cashCommercial LPG shortageBrock LesnarCUET UG 2026 Answer KeyITR filing FY 2025-26Top TrendingBAN vs AUS Live ScoreUS Iran warGold Rate TodayFIFA World Cup 2026Driving Licence ValidityChennai TNSTC BusGautam PatelDU Professor Murder CaseVisakhapatnam Steel Plant AccidentCBSE Class 12 re-evaluation

Vamsikrishna05 mins mins

AI representational image The gym was supposed to be neutral territory where people arrived in all shapes and sizes to sweat through their weights and workouts. Nobody cared what you were called or who you prayed to. Over the past few months, however, a mix of criminal cases and viral claims has brought communal suspicion…

Read More
‘Son, unlike father’: Nitish Kumar’s son Nishant studied engineering but never graduated, affidavit filed for MLC polls shows

‘Son, unlike father’: Nitish Kumar’s son Nishant studied engineering but never graduated, affidavit filed for MLC polls shows

Vamsikrishna02 mins mins

Nishant with father Nitish (File photo) The educational qualifications of Nishant Kumar, son of Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar, has been revealed after he filed his nomination for the Bihar Legislative Council (MLC) elections as an NDA candidate.According to the affidavit submitted with his nomination papers, Nishant Kumar did not complete his…

Read More