Two Hindu men detained for posing as Dubai residents in ‘sheikh’ attire near Haridwar ghats; video goes viral

Haridwar: Police detained two men on Tuesday after a video allegedly showing them wearing ‘sheikh’ attire (kandura), moving around Har Ki Pauri and bathing at a Ganga ghat, went viral on social media, officials said.

Police said the video, filmed around Malviya Ghat and nearby areas at Har Ki Pauri. Earlier, many had demanded to bar the entry of non-Hindus at the Ganga ghats within the Haridwar Kumbh Mela zone.

According to officials, when priests at the site stopped and questioned the two men, they initially identified themselves as Habibullah and Habibi, claiming to be residents of Dubai. However, they were detained by the police a few hours later.

During questioning, the duo revealed their real identities as Naveen Kumar, 22, and Prince, 22, both residents of Sidcul in Haridwar. They told police the video was being made for their YouTube channel.

The two later apologised for hurting religious sentiments and were warned against creating similar content in the future, following which they were released.

In the video, one of the men is heard saying, “They can roam anywhere in India,” after a priest asked them to leave the premises. The priest subsequently alerted members of the Ganga Sabha.

Ujjwal Pandit, a member of the Ganga Sabha, said a search was launched after information about the incident was received, but the men had already left the area. He alleged the video appeared to be a deliberate attempt to disturb the religious atmosphere at Har Ki Pauri.