Haridwar's Har Ki Pauri gets bomb threat; caller arrested after panic grips holy city
A bomb threat targeting Har Ki Pauri in Haridwar sparked panic after a drunken youth called the police, claiming the holy site would be blown up. Authorities promptly traced and arrested the accused, who later confessed to making the threat while intoxicated.
A major scare gripped Uttarakhand’s Haridwar city after a phone call threatened to blow up the famous Har Ki Pauri ghat on Monday. The threat call, made directly to the police, triggered immediate alarm across the department. Notably, Har Ki Pauri is one of the most sacred ghats in Haridwar, where lakhs of devotees take a holy dip every day.
According to officials, a drunken man dialled the emergency number 112 and claimed that Har Ki Pauri and several other locations would be bombed within four days. The call threw the police force into a state of high alert and multiple teams were activated at once.
The caller's phone number and location were promptly traced. The police arrested the accused, identified as 30-year-old Sohan Singh Rawat, a resident of Yamkeshwar in Pauri district. During interrogation, the man confessed that he had issued the threat while he was drunk.
A case has been registered at Haridwar Nagar Kotwali and the accused has now been sent to jail. Haridwar SSP Navneet Singh Bhullar has also issued a statement regarding the incident.
Why Har Ki Pauri holds immense significance
Har Ki Pauri is the most revered ghat in Haridwar and attracts pilgrims from across India and abroad. The ghat is believed to be associated with Lord Vishnu. Devotees consider the holy dip here to be spiritually cleansing, as it is believed to wash away sins and lead to salvation.
The evening Ganga Aarti at Har Ki Pauri is a spectacular sight, drawing visitors from far and wide. The area hosts the grand Kumbh Mela every 12 years and the Ardh Kumbh every six years which makes it one of the most spiritually vibrant places in the country.
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