On the afternoon of July 14, a 25-year-old tourist identified as Satish from Ahmedabad embarked on a tandem paragliding flight near Dharamshala’s Banghotu area, above the famed Indru Nag site. The flight took off from a non-notified location lacking proper approval and safety marshals clear violations of Himachal Pradesh’s Aero-Sports rules and High Court directives. The paraglider crashed within moments, leaving Satish seriously injured along with the pilot, Suraj.
Satish was first taken to Dharamshala’s zonal hospital and later shifted to Tanda Medical College, where he succumbed to his injuries on July 15. Meanwhile, the pilot remains under treatment.
Kangra district officials have registered a case, initiated a formal investigation, and issued a show-cause notice to the paraglider operator and pilot. The tourism department has also temporarily banned all adventure sports, including paragliding, in Kangra district until September 15 due to monsoon safety protocols. Over the past 30 months, Himachal has witnessed more than 12 paragliding fatalities, underscoring persistent risks linked to unregulated operations.
This fatal incident highlights the urgent need for stringent enforcement of safety regulations and upgraded oversight to protect adventure tourists in Himachal Pradesh.
