Tourist from Gujarat dies in paragliding mishap in Dharamsala

A tragic paragliding accident occurred on Saturday evening at the newly developed Bangotu site near Indrunag, claiming the life of a 27-year-old tourist from Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The victim, identified as Rajesh, was on a tandem paragliding flight with pilot Suraj when the glider lost control shortly after the take off and crashed.

Both the passenger and the pilot sustained injuries and were rushed to Zonal Hospital, Dharamsala. Rajesh was later referred to Tanda Medical College for specialised treatment, but succumbed to his injuries. Pilot Suraj is currently recovering. A post-mortem examination scheduled for today has been postponed for tomorrow when the relatives of the deceased arrive.

This is the second fatal paragliding accident this year involving a tourist from Gujarat in recent months. A similar incident occurred in January, raising serious concerns about safety protocols at paragliding sites in the region.

The police have started an investigation and are formally writing to the District Tourism Development Officer Kangra (DTDO) to ensure strict enforcement of all safety and procedural guidelines related to adventure sports.

What is surprising is how paragliding was allowed in bad weather and at a site which is yet to be notified. This site was inspected by tourism officials together with experts from the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering on June 21.

Vinay Dhiman, DTDO, confirmed that it is a clear violation of HP Aero Sports Rules 2022 and Tourism Development and Registration Act 2002. According to him, a strict action would be taken against the pilot and the operator involved in this unlawful activity.

Manish Kapoor, an experienced pilot from Narwana, who also heads the Eco Adventure Company, stated that the ill-fated flight took-off under favourable wind conditions and suddenly lost height, resulting in the crash.

Himachal Tribune