A 26-year-old tourist from Greater Noida died after falling from a tandem paraglider during a recreational flight at Bir-Billing in Himachal Pradesh's Kangra district. The incident took place on Tuesday evening, November 10, raising fresh concerns over safety arrangements at one of India's most popular paragliding destinations.
The deceased has been identified as Shubham Dobliyal, who was employed with the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). He had travelled to Himachal Pradesh for a holiday with his sister and three cousins. According to preliminary information, Shubham was undertaking a tandem paragliding flight with a local pilot when the accident occurred.
The incident reportedly took place around 5 pm, barely six minutes after the paraglider took off from Billing. During the flight, Shubham suddenly fell from the paraglider and landed in a densely forested area near the designated landing zone. The pilot, however, managed to land safely and informed other pilots about the passenger's fall.
Following the incident, a search and rescue operation was launched with the assistance of local residents. After several hours of searching, Shubham's body was recovered from the forest around 9 pm. The body was subsequently handed over to the police after the necessary formalities.
Police Register Case Against Pilot
Kangra police have registered an FIR against the 45-year-old paraglider pilot, identified as Vinay Kumar, a resident of the district. The case was registered at Bir police station under Sections 106 and 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), relating to causing death by negligence and endangering the life or personal safety of others.
Police have also recorded the statement of a 24-year-old woman from Greater Noida in connection with the incident. The investigation is currently underway to establish the exact circumstances behind the tourist's fall.
Kangra Superintendent of Police Kulbhushan Verma said investigators were examining all possible angles. Preliminary suspicion includes the possibility that the passenger's safety harness became loose or snapped during the flight. However, the exact cause has not yet been established.
Fresh Questions Over Paragliding Safety
The incident has once again brought the safety of commercial tandem paragliding operations at Bir-Billing under scrutiny. In tandem flights, tourists depend largely on trained pilots and properly maintained safety equipment.
The latest tragedy follows another fatal paragliding accident in the Kangra region in October, when a 47-year-old Bulgarian national died near Rising Star Peak in Dharamshala, while his British companion was rescued.
With Bir-Billing attracting thousands of adventure enthusiasts every year, the latest incident has renewed questions about passenger safety harnesses, equipment inspections and compliance with flight safety procedures. Authorities are investigating the matter, and further action is expected after the findings emerge.
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