3 days ago
Prayagraj: Floods displace many, but policeman welcomes Ganga with rituals at his doorstep
In an act that may seem like a mockery of the plight of thousands of people displaced by floods in Prayagraj, a video shows a sub-inspector of the Uttar Pradesh Police performing a ritualistic welcome to 'Maa Ganga' (Mother Ganga) as the floodwaters reach the doorstep of his home here. SI Chandradeep Nishad welcoming 'Maa Ganga' at his doorstep at Mori in Daraganj, Prayagraj. (HT Photo)
In the video, sub-inspector Chandradeep Nishad, a resident of Mori locality in Daraganj area of the city, is seen dressed in his uniform and pouring milk and offering rose petals while chanting 'Jai Ganga Maiya main dhann ho gaya ki aap mere darbar pe aashirwad dene aaye' (Hail Mother Ganga, I feel blessed that you arrived at my home to bless me.) He is seen barefoot while performing the rituals.
The sub-inspector can be further heard thanking the river for gracing his house after having blessed over 66 crore devotees during the 45-day Mahakumbh 2025, which was held earlier this year on the banks of the Sangam in Prayagraj.
After the rituals, another video shows the sub-inspector diving into the floodwaters from the balcony of the first floor of his two-storey house, expressing his joy.
The sub-inspector belongs to the Other Backward Classes Nishad community, comprising fishermen.
The policeman is currently posted as the personal security officer of a judge, as mentioned on his social media platform.
His videos have sparked mixed reactions online with some calling it an act of reverence and others criticising it as a publicity stunt amid a natural calamity.
Pappu Lal Nishad, president of Prayagraj Navik Sangh (an organisation of boatmen, said, 'Every member of the Nishad community has a special connection with Maa Ganga as the river not only sustains our livelihood but also protects us from all dangers. There is nothing wrong in what sub-inspector Chandradeep Nishad did. It is an act of showing reverence.'
'The same reverence is visible at the Bade Hanuman temple (in Prayagraj). When Ganga water enters the temple premises every year, it is not a flood for devotees, but instead considered as Maa Gange having come to bathe Lord Hanuman,' he added. A senior police official on condition of anonymity said the sub-inspector had worshipped the 'holy Ganga' which was not a crime.
'He did not do anything that would put a scar on the uniform. It was just plain puja. Belonging to the Nishad community, the connection with the river is not something unusual,' he added.
A plaque the sub-inspector's home reads 'Nishad Raj Bhavan, Mori, Daraganj, Prayagraj.' A nameplate mentions his official designation as 'Sub-Inspector Chandradeep Nishad, Uttar Pradesh Police.'
His instagram account describes him as a national swimmer, UP Police Swimming Champion. A Lucknow University graduate, he has an account on several other social media platforms including YouTube, Facebook and X.
Prayagraj has received heavy rain and witnessed a rise in water level of both the Ganga and the Yamuna from July 28 onwards.
The Sangam city was close to surpassing its worst floods of 1978 on Monday.
Floodwaters have already displaced around 8000 residents of 61 Nagar Nigam wards in Prayagraj, according to district magistrate Manish Kumar Verma.
The water level of the Ganga in Prayagraj's Phaphamau was recorded at 86.07 metres at 12 noon on Monday, according to the irrigation department.
The Yamuna river was flowing at 86.08 metres in Naini, according to the irrigation department. The danger mark is at 84.73 metres for both the rivers.
