Dharamshala (HP), Nov 11 (PTI) The death of a 26-year-old Noida tourist after falling from a tandem paraglider at the Bir-Billing site in Kangra here has sparked renewed concerns regarding the safety of commercial skydiving operations at one of Himachal Pradesh’s most popular adventure tourism destinations.
The deceased, identified as Shubham Dobliyal, was holidaying in Himachal Pradesh with his sister and three cousins. He was undertaking a tandem paragliding flight with a local pilot, identified as Vinay Kumar, when the tragic incident occurred barely six minutes after take-off from Billing on Tuesday evening, police said on Wednesday.
Authorities said while the pilot managed to land safe, the tourist reportedly fell from the paraglider and landed in a densely forested area near the designated landing zone.
According to preliminary information, authorities launched a search and rescue operation. Despite difficult terrain and fading light, rescue teams continued late into the evening and eventually recovered the tourist’s body.
Police conducted the post-mortem examination and subsequently handed over the body to the family.
An FIR has been registered against the pilot at Bir police station on charges relating to causing death due to negligence, and further legal proceedings are underway.
Kangra Superintendent of Police Kulbhushan Verma said a technical malfunction or human error could not be ruled out. He said authorities were investigating all aspects to establish the exact circumstances that led to the tragedy. The SP said Shubham was the eldest among the four siblings and relatives who had travelled to Himachal Pradesh for a holiday.
According to Manish, a cousin of the deceased, other family members had also gone paragliding. They learnt about the tragedy only after landing, when the pilot informed them.
This is the fourth paragliding-related incident reported in Kangra district within the past month, raising serious concerns over the safety of adventure tourism activities in the region.
On October 25, a 47-year-old Bulgarian paraglider lost his life in an accident near Rising Star Peak in the Khanyara-Yol area of Dharamshala, while his 63-year-old British companion was rescued safely.
Earlier, on October 21 and 24, two separate incidents involving tourists who had taken off from Bir left them stranded in the hills. Both were subsequently rescued.
The latest incident has renewed calls for comprehensive safety audits, mandatory pre-flight passenger checks, regular equipment inspections and stricter supervision of commercial paragliding operators.
There is also a growing need to ensure that safety protocols are followed in letter and spirit, not treated as a mere formality. PTI COR BPL ASD
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