New Delhi: Arjuna Awardee and former captain of the Indian kabaddi team, Deepak Hooda, had a brush with danger on Wednesday after he was swept away by the strong currents of the River Ganga in Haridwar. 

The dramatic incident unfolded when Hooda lost his balance and fell into the river, quickly finding himself caught in the swift flow.

Fortunately, the 40th Battalion of the Uttarakhand Police was present nearby and responded with commendable speed and bravery. A swift rescue operation was launched, during which officers from the battalion leapt into the water from a boat and managed to pull Hooda to safety despite the river’s fierce current pulling the boat off course.

The Uttarakhand Police posted a video of the rescue on their official X (formerly Twitter) account, showing the quick-thinking and courageous efforts of the personnel involved. The video has since garnered widespread praise on social media.

Deepak Hooda expressed heartfelt gratitude to the officers who saved his life, acknowledging their heroic efforts in a life-threatening situation.

"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 currents of the Ganga in Haridwar.

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."

The rescue team succeeded in hauling him onto the boat and bringing him safely to the shore. The timely action by the Uttarakhand Police prevented what could have been a tragic incident, and their bravery has earned widespread appreciation.

The 31-year-old Deepak Niwas Hooda, who hails from Chamaria village of Rohtak District of Haryana, plays in the all-rounder position in kabaddi and has represented Telugu Titans, Puneri Paltan, and Jaipur Pink Panthers in the Pro Kabaddi League.

At the global level, 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 bagged medals for India in the 2018 Dubai Kabaddi Masters (gold) and two gold medals in the South Asian Games --2016 edition at Guwahati and 2019 in Kathmandu.

(IANS)