SDRF constable Ashiq Ali is toast of town for saving 5 kanwariyas

A Muslim head constable of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) in Uttarakhand's Haridwar is being extolled for his heroic acts of saving five Kanwariyas, including two minors, from drowning in the Ganga River in separate incidents.

Almost everyone in the pilgrimage town is talking about SDRF head constable Ashiq Ali, who is deployed at Kangra ghat near Har Ki Pairi in Haridwar.

When 21-year-old Shiv devotee Monu from Faridabad in Haryana started drifting along the swift currents of the Ganga at Kangra Ghat on Tuesday, Ali, along with his fellow SDRF personnel, wasted no time in jumping into the river and rescuing him.

He saved another Kanwariya -- 21-year-old Govind Singh from the state's Udham Singh Nagar district -- the same day in a separate incident.

On Monday, Ali saved 21-year-old Sandeep Singh of Gorakhpur, 17-year-old Karan of Delhi, and 15-year-old Ankit of Panipat in Haryana.

The SDRF personnel was assisted by SDRF constables Anil Singh Kothiyal, Pradeep Rawat, Shivam Singh and fire service constable Laxman Chauhan.

Talking to PTI, Ali said saving people's lives is his religion and he is not bothered by the caste or religion of someone who is drowning.

"For me, he is a human being and saving his life is my religion," an emotional Ali said.

Ali said whenever he saves someone, he gets immense spiritual satisfaction.

Haridwar SSP Parmendra Doval has honoured Ali with the 'Man of the Day' title for his "excellent" work.