Latest news with #DeepakHooda
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Former India kabaddi team captain Deepak Hooda falls into Ganga in Haridwar, rescued by Uttarakhand Police
Deepak Hooda, a former captain of the Indian men's Kabaddi team and a BJP leader, fell into the Ganga river in Haridwar and was swept away by the high current before a team of the Uttarakhand Police rescued him Wednesday. Talking about the incident, Hooda said Thursday, 'I had been regularly visiting Haridwar. It was Sawan Shivratri yesterday, and I went there for a holy dip. While I was taking the dip, I slipped into a ditch. I could not balance myself and started drowning. Within a few seconds, the rescue team arrived and managed to pull me out of the water. I would like to thank the Uttarakhand Police.' 'It was scary. The water current was too fast. I could not balance myself. I tried to stay afloat, but it was tough. The rescuers saw me and reached me. Luckily, I could be saved. It is the blessings of people that have kept me alive. I am a good swimmer and have been going there since my childhood. But, it was due to the high water current that I could not balance myself', added Hooda, an Asian gold medallist and an Arjuna awardee. The Uttarakhand Police posted a video of Hooda's rescue on its social media handle. Officials said that during the ongoing Kanwar Yatra, incidents of pilgrims falling into the Ganga river are common. As a result, the Haridwar police have deployed several rescue teams at various ghats. The BJP fielded Hooda from the Meham constituency in the Rohtak district in the 2024 Haryana Assembly elections. In his first electoral battle, Hooda, however, finished a distant fourth and got only 8,929 votes. Congress candidate Balram Dangi won the seat, securing 56,865 votes. Hooda's wife Sawerty Boora is an international boxer who has also been honoured with the Arjuna Award.
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Former India kabaddi skipper falls into river, rescued by Uttarakhand Police in Haridwar
Arjuna awardee and former Indian kabaddi team captain Deepak Hooda was dramatically rescued on Wednesday after being swept away by the powerful currents of the River Ganga in Haridwar. Members of the 40th Battalion of the Uttarakhand Police were in the vicinity and quickly launched a courageous rescue operation. Speaking with Sportstar, Hooda recounted a frightening experience: 'I was observing a fast for Mahashivratri and went to pray in the Ganga when I lost my footing and fell into the swiftly flowing river. Despite the intense current pulling their boat off course, battalion officers bravely jumped in and pulled me to safety.' The Uttarakhand Police shared a video of the rescue on their official X (formerly Twitter) account. Hooda also expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the officers who saved his life, acknowledging their heroic efforts in the 'life-threatening situation.' He also confirmed that he's safe and sound at home after a routine hospital check-up. Hooda was part of the Indian team that won a gold medal at the 2016 South Asian Games and a bronze at the 2018 Asian Games. He is regarded as one of the most influential all-rounders to grace the mat in the Pro Kabaddi league (PKL). Related Topics Deepak Hooda
The Print
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Print
Uttarakhand cops post video of kabaddi star's dramatic rescue; he denies it was him, then says it was
When he returned from Haridwar to Rohtak late Wednesday evening, local media were waiting for him. In front of media persons, Deepak Hooda finally admitted that the police rescue team helped him board the boat. As the video shared by Uttarakhand Police went viral, people who know him closely identified the man rescued as none other than Hooda. Gurugram: Hours after claiming that he was not the man seen struggling in the Ganga river waters in a viral video before a police team helped him board a boat at Haridwar Wednesday, Deepak Hooda, the ex-captain of the national kabaddi team, has taken a U-turn, with a new statement on the incident. Contacted by The Print a second time late Wednesday evening, Hooda said he was taking a bath in the Ganga at 10.30 am when he slipped into the river. 'I had gone to Haridwar to take a bath in the Ganga on the occasion of Mahashivratri. I was on a fast, and suddenly, I slipped, and soon one of my knees touched the bed of the river. The Ganga was not much deeper at that spot. However, the rescue team, which was nearby, noticed me and pulled me into the boat,' he said. When asked why he lied when asked the same question earlier, Deepak Hooda said he was not in the right frame of mind after the incident, and he did not know that the Uttarakhand Police had posted the rescue video on social media. 'This was not a drowning incident by any stretch of imagination. If you carefully watch the video, you will see that I jumped from inside the not-so-deep water to the boat. So, earlier, whoever called me to confirm the incident, I [did not confirm but] denied it,' said Hooda. What Hooda had said The Uttarakhand Police uploaded the video of Hooda's dramatic rescue from the fast-flowing Ganga River by a Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) squad on social media at 4.20 pm Wednesday. 'Star kabaddi player… and a star rescue by #UttarakhandPolice! Arjuna awardee and former captain of the Indian team, Deepak Hooda, got trapped in the strong current of the Ganga in Haridwar. The 40th Battalion present at the spot immediately carried out the rescue and brought him out safely. Deepak Hooda also wholeheartedly thanked the team for their efforts,' the Uttarakhand Police wrote in an X post. Deepak Hooda, a resident of Mohra village in Rohtak, Haryana, and now, a BJP leader, who also contested the state polls from Haryana's Meham assembly seat in October 2024, initially ruled out the police information, claiming he was never in Haridwar. Contacted by The Print earlier on Wednesday, he said, 'I am in Rohtak for a BJP mandal president meeting in Mohra village—along with district president Ranveer Dhaka. I am not there in the video circulating in my name, and I have no link to the incident.' Earlier, Deepak Hooda further said that he had approached the Uttarakhand Police about the misinformation, and they confessed to a lapse. 'Some other person uploaded this video, incorrectly identifying the person who was rescued as me,' he told ThePrint. 'The police thought it was a notable rescue and shared it, but they have assured me they will delete it soon, considering the number of calls I have been receiving.' ThePrint reached Haridwar Police via a phone call to the SSP, but the person who responded advised contacting Public Relations Officer (PRO) Inspector Digpal Kohli on his mobile phone. On the videos of the rescue mission, PRO Kohli told The Print that those had been posted from the end of Haridwar police from the state police headquarters at Dehradun. 'I will get it checked from Dehradun,' Kohli said. The now-retired kabaddi hero, Deepak Niwas Hooda, started his sports career in 2009. As captain, he led India to a gold medal win later at the 2019 Asian Games. Later, Hooda joined the BJP on 12 February last year, in the company of his now estranged wife, Saweety Boora, a boxing player who won gold at the IBA World Boxing 2023 in the middle-weight category. Contesting the Meham seat in the 2024 assembly polls, Deepak Hooda lost to Congress candidate Balram Dangi. This is an updated version of the report (Edited by Madhurita Goswami) Also Read: Congress Raj Babbar leads by 2000+ votes against BJP heavyweight Rao Inderjit in Gurgaon
News18
5 days ago
- Sport
- News18
Uttarakhand water police saves International kabaddi player Hooda from drowning
Haridwar, Jul 23 (PTI) A big mishap was averted here on Wednesday when an international kabaddi player and Arjuna award winner Deepak Hooda was saved from drowning in the Ganga river at Har ki Pauri. Hooda was swept away by the strong currents of the river while bathing but the 40th battalion of the Provincial Armed Constabulary and Uttarakhand water police divers came immediately to his rescue as they heard the commotion on the ghat, police said. The water police divers jumped into the river with a raft and pulled out the drowning kabaddi player to safety within minutes. Despite the swift currents of the Ganga, the relief team showed courage and understanding and saved the life of an international player. Hooda had come to Haridwar with his friends. police said. He has captained in the Pro Kabaddi League and has won medals in many international matches for the country. His wife Sweety Bora is also an international boxer and an Arjuna awardee. view comments First Published: July 23, 2025, 22:30 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
5 days ago
- Sport
- News18
Uttarakhand Police Rescue Kabaddi Star Deepak Hooda From Currents In Haridwar
Last Updated: Arjuna Awardee Deepak Hooda was rescued by Uttarakhand Police after being swept away by River Ganga's strong currents in Haridwar. Arjuna Awardee and former captain of the Indian kabaddi team, Deepak Hooda, faced a perilous situation on Wednesday when he was swept away by the strong currents of the River Ganga in Haridwar. The incident occurred when Hooda lost his balance and fell into the river, swiftly becoming caught in the rapid flow. Fortunately, members of the 40th Battalion of the Uttarakhand Police were nearby and responded promptly and bravely. A rapid rescue operation ensued, during which officers from the battalion jumped into the water from a boat and managed to save Hooda despite the river's intense current pulling the boat off course. The Uttarakhand Police shared a video of the rescue on their official X (formerly Twitter) account, showcasing the quick and courageous actions of the personnel involved. The video has since received widespread acclaim on social media. Deepak Hooda expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the officers who saved his life, acknowledging their heroic efforts in the life-threatening situation. The 40th Battalion present at the spot immediately carried out a rescue operation and brought him out safely. Deepak Hooda also sincerely thanked the team. 'Star Kabaddi player… and #UttarakhandPolice's star rescue! Arjuna Awardee and former Indian team captain Deepak Hooda got trapped in the strong currents of the Ganga in Haridwar. The 40th Battalion, present at the scene, immediately carried out a rescue and safely evacuated him. Deepak Hooda also wholeheartedly thanked the team," the post on X said. WATCH: स्टार कबड्डी खिलाड़ी… और #UttarakhandPolice का स्टार रेस्क्यू!अर्जुन अवॉर्डी व भारतीय टीम के पूर्व कप्तान दीपक हुड्डा हरिद्वार में गंगा के तेज बहाव में फंसे। मौके पर मौजूद 40वीं वाहिनी ने तुरंत रेस्क्यू कर उन्हें सुरक्षित निकाला। दीपक हुड्डा ने भी टीम को दिल से धन्यवाद कहा। — Uttarakhand Police (@uttarakhandcops) July 23, 2025 The rescue team successfully hauled him onto the boat and brought him safely to the shore. The timely intervention by the Uttarakhand Police prevented a potential tragedy, earning them widespread appreciation. Who Is Deepak Hooda? Deepak Niwas Hooda, aged 31, hailing from Chamaria village in Rohtak District of Haryana, plays as an all-rounder in kabaddi. He has represented Telugu Titans, Puneri Paltan, and Jaipur Pink Panthers in the Pro Kabaddi League. Internationally, Deepak Hooda won a gold medal for India in the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup and a bronze medal in the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta. He has also secured medals for India in the 2018 Dubai Kabaddi Masters (gold) and two gold medals in the South Asian Games – the 2016 edition in Guwahati and the 2019 edition in Kathmandu. view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
