A tandem paragliding flight over Himachal Pradesh's Kangra valley turned fatal six minutes after takeoff on Tuesday evening when a 26-year-old tourist plummeted from his harness into dense mountain forest.
He died on the spot.
Police identified the victim as Shubham Dobhiyal, a resident of Greater Noida who had traveled to the world-renowned paragliding destination of Bir-Billing alongside his sister and three relatives. While other family members took to the skies in separate gliders without incident, Dobhiyal boarded a tandem wing piloted by local flyer Vinay Kumar from the Billing launch ridge. Minutes later, mid-air horror struck near the designated landing zone.
The flight launched under standard evening flying conditions before turning catastrophic roughly six minutes into the glide. Eyewitness accounts and initial police inputs indicate that Dobhiyal slipped out of the harness system mid-air, falling through the canopy of a thick forest tract situated short of the landing field.
Kumar steered the paraglider down and landed safely.
Emergency rescue teams initiated a ground search across the rugged terrain immediately after the pilot touched down. Following hours of combing through dense brush, search parties recovered Dobhiyal's body late Tuesday evening. The initial technical assessment centers entirely on harness integrity. Investigators are probing whether the passenger safety belt unbuckled, failed mechanically, or snapped under physical load during the glide.
Kangra District Police registered a formal criminal case against pilot Vinay Kumar, charging him with causing death due to negligence. Investigators have impounded the flight gear to inspect the condition of the harness, carabiners, and restraint straps.
During tandem paragliding, tourists completely trust the pilot, and so it is very important to follow safety standards.
Hemraj Bairwa, Deputy Commissioner of Kangra
District authorities confirmed that an administrative inquiry will run parallel to the criminal investigation, scrutinizing pre-flight gear inspections, pilot accreditation, and launch protocols at Billing.
| Case Parameter | Official Status |
|---|---|
| Victim | Shubham Dobhiyal (26), Greater Noida |
| Accused Pilot | Vinay Kumar (Local tandem pilot) |
| Incident Site | Bir-Billing, Kangra District, Himachal Pradesh |
| Flight Duration | Plunge occurred 6 minutes post-takeoff |
| Police Action | FIR registered for death by negligence |
| Primary Inquiry Focus | Safety harness failure or accidental buckle release |
Police officials are awaiting the formal autopsy report from the zonal hospital and the forensic inspection of the harness system before determining custodial steps against the pilot.