Overview

• On July 23, the former Indian kabaddi captain slipped into the Ganga at Haridwar and was swiftly brought to safety by the State Disaster Response Force and the Uttarakhand Police’s 40th Battalion.
• Uttarakhand Police shared dramatic footage of the rescue on X, using it to underscore river safety during the high-traffic pilgrimage.
• Hooda initially denied being the person in the viral clip but later acknowledged the incident after returning to Rohtak and detailed how he slipped while bathing.
• The athlete praised the officers’ prompt action, noting that rescuers leapt into the water to pull him aboard the boat before strong currents could carry him downstream.
• Authorities say more than 150 pilgrims have been rescued so far this year as part of expanded river-rescue operations during the Kanwar Yatra.