Himachal Pradesh: 19-year-old Gujarat girl dies in paragliding accident in Dharamshala; safety lapses to the fore
PTC Web Desk: In a tragic accident reported on Saturday, a 19-year-old girl from Gujarat lost her life during a paragliding mishap at the Indru Nag site in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh. The pilot accompanying her sustained injuries in the accident. Preliminary police investigations have revealed several safety lapses at the takeoff site, raising serious concerns about adherence to regulations.
The police have uncovered startling details indicating inadequate safety arrangements at the paragliding site. Reports suggest the flight was undertaken after sunset, in clear violation of safety norms. The victim reportedly insisted on paragliding despite being advised against it by the site marshal, citing poor visibility due to the late hour.
The area where the pilot and the victim fell had uneven terrain, which had been haphazardly covered with empty cement sacks and tarpaulin. Additionally, safety railings and poles at the site were found to be in a dilapidated condition.
According to the regulations, paragliding activities must cease at least one hour before sunset to ensure safety. However, the deceased took off at 5.55 pm, which contravened these rules. The absence of an Aero Sports Officer at the site further impacted the monitoring of safety standards.
Following the incident, the local administration faced criticism for its delayed response. No senior officials visited the victim's family on the night of the accident. Although the victim’s body was handed over to her family after a post-mortem, no FIR was filed, nor was the paragliding equipment inspected until late Monday evening.
The pilot involved in the mishap, Munish Kumar, held a license issued on February 24, 2022. However, the validity column of the license was left blank, and the document lacked the pilot’s signature, raising questions about its legitimacy.
A joint report submitted by site marshals Deshraj, Abhishek, and Kamaljit highlighted critical lapses during the flight. According to Deshraj and Abhishek, the victim failed to lift her legs during the second takeoff attempt, causing the pilot to lose balance and crash.
Paragliding accidents have become a recurring issue in Himachal Pradesh, with popular sites located in Shimla, Kullu, and Kangra districts attracting adventure enthusiasts from around the world. In the past four days, two fatal incidents have occurred. On Friday, a 28-year-old tourist from Tamil Nadu lost his life at the Garsa landing site in Kullu. Three months ago, a Belgian pilot participating in the Paragliding World Cup at Bir Billing in Kangra met a tragic end when his glider crashed.
The SHO, Dharamshala, stated that no formal complaint has been received yet, which is why an FIR has not been registered. The Dharamshala Regulating Authority Chairman and SDM confirmed that marshals were deployed at the site as per High Court orders. However, the victim's insistence on flying reportedly led to the unfortunate accident.
- PTC NEWS
