Tourist dies in Bir Billing paragliding accident; pilot negligence suspected

A tourist from Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh died in a paragliding accident at Bir Billing on November 10 after the safety hook and lock of the paraglider reportedly snapped mid-air, causing him to fall. The accident occurred barely six minutes after take-off.

Preliminary investigations have pointed towards alleged negligence by the pilot, Kangra Superintendent of Police Kulbhushan Verma said.
The Bir police station received information about the accident through the 112 helpline on November 10. A police team rushed to the spot and initiated rescue operations. The injured tourist was taken to the Civil Hospital in Baijnath, where doctors declared him dead.

According to SP Verma, preliminary findings suggest that prescribed safety protocols may have been ignored and the safety hook and lock broke during the flight, resulting in the fatal fall. Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The deceased was identified as Shubham Kumar, a resident of Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Following the postmortem examination, his body was handed over to his family.

Two paragliding-related deaths in Kangra this year. Kangra SP Kulbhushan Verma said two people have died in paragliding-related accidents in the district this year. Apart from the November 10 accident at Bir Billing, a Netherlands national died during a solo paragliding flight near Yol, within the jurisdiction of the Dharamshala police station.

In the earlier incident, adverse weather conditions and alleged pilot negligence had emerged as possible factors. The two fatalities have brought paragliding safety practices in the district under scrutiny.