J&K Man Pulled From River Ganga After Getting Swept Away

A video of a rescue operation in which a man, who nearly drowned in the Ganga River, was pulled to safety has gone viral.

The man, identified as Vishal, had come from Jammu and Kashmir to Haridwar to take a holy dip in the sacred river on the occasion of Nirjala Ekadashi on June 6.

As Vishal was being swept away by the forceful current, he managed to grab one of the safety chains near the Hathi Bridge. In the video, he can be seen clinging to the chain in the middle of the river. 

Soon after, the 40th Battalion of the SDRF (State Disaster Response Force) stationed in Haridwar reached the spot in a speedboat and successfully pulled him to safety.

To prevent such accidents, authorities have installed thick iron chains along the bridges near the Har Ki Pauri ghat, which is one of the most visited pilgrimage sites in Haridwar. These thick chains serve as safety ropes. People can hold on to them to prevent themselves from being swept away by the strong current.

हरिद्वार: गंगा में स्नान करने जम्मू कश्मीर से आए शख्स का LIVE रेस्क्यू..#Haridwar pic.twitter.com/d3xWJYqrd4

— NDTV India (@ndtvindia) June 6, 2025

This is not the first time such incidents have occurred in the Ganga River in Haridwar. Numerous incidents of people drowning or almost drowning have been reported in the past, particularly during significant festivals when thousands of people gather to take a sacred dip.

Earlier, three members of a family drowned in the river while taking a holy dip after they were swept by strong currents. They were identified as 38-year-old Vinay Singh, his 13-year-old son Shiva, and his 12-year-old nephew Kishan.

In another incident, two men, Akash and Sandeep, both 23, drowned while bathing in the Ganga river in Shivpuri near Rishikesh after being swept away by strong currents.