Youth asks group to leave Ganga Ghat in Haridwar for being non-Hindu; police begins probe

Haridwar (Uttarakhand), June 19

Police have started an investigation into a video circulating on social media in which a youth allegedly tries to drive away a group of men and women from Ganga Ghat here for being non-Hindu.

It is claimed that the video is of an incident at the popular Maharaja Agrasen Ghat of Haridwar.

After the video surfaced, the police swung into action and, considering the sensitive nature of the incident, Circle Officer Juhi Manral has asked to investigate it, a senior official said.

City Superintendent of Police Swatantra Kumar said that information was being collected about the incident and efforts were on to identify the youth and the group of people involved in the incident.

He said after the investigation is completed, action will be taken in accordance with the rules.

In the video, the youth purportedly threatens the other community members and is heard saying that only Hindus are allowed to come to the Ganga Ghats.

The young men and women in the group are seen arguing with the youth. One of them tells him that he runs a vehicle in the Har Ki Pauri area. But the youth refused to listen to anything and kept asking them to leave the ghat premises.

Satpal Brahmachari, Congress metropolitan president and former chairman of the then Haridwar Municipality (now Municipal Corporation), said that such incidents are very serious.

He said that according to the rules, non-Hindus cannot reside permanently in the Haridwar and Kankhal police station area and the entry of non-Hindus is also prohibited in the Har Ki Pauri area.

But at Maharaja Agrasen Ghat, which comes under Jwalapur Kotwali, there is no restriction on movement and bathing in the Ganges, he said.