A tragic incident occurred yesterday when a 32-year-old tourist from Hyderabad, Tadi Mahesh Reddy, lost his life in a paraglider crash during a tandem flight at Raison, situated 11 km from Manali. The crash, caused by a sudden gust of wind, left Reddy severely injured. After being rushed to a private hospital in Kullu and then referred to the Medical College in Ner Chowk, he succumbed to his injuries. Kullu’s Superintendent of Police, Karthikeyan Gokulachandran, confirmed that a post-mortem examination was conducted today. An FIR has been filed under Sections 125 and 106 of the Indian Penal Code, and investigations are underway.
The Tourism Department has also launched a formal inquiry. Tandem paragliding, a popular adventure sport, has seen a significant rise in recent years, although the number of accidents has decreased thanks to stricter regulations. In the previous year, two tourists were killed in similar crashes, while three others were forced to make emergency landings. The department has emphasized the importance of following strict aero sports rules and has developed a regulatory framework for the industry.
The District Aero Sports Club, formed by various paragliding associations, now oversees the activity, and paragliding associations face fines for rule violations. The Paragliding and River Rafting District Level Monitoring Committee regularly inspects the sites, and any accidents lead to an inquiry. Pilots found negligent may have their licenses revoked. There are currently eight approved paragliding sites in the district, but due to limited resources, the Tourism Department struggles to monitor all adventure sports activities effectively. Stakeholders have urged the government to expand the authority of officials from other departments to enforce aero sports rules, ensuring better safety standards for thrill-seekers.