Noida Tourist Dies After Falling from Paraglider at Bir-Billing

Dharamshala, November 11, 2026: A 26-year-old tourist from Noida died after falling from a tandem paraglider at the world-famous Bir-Billing paragliding site in Kangra district on Tuesday evening, triggering fresh concerns over the safety of commercial paragliding operations at one of Himachal Pradesh's most popular adventure tourism destinations.
The deceased, identified as Shubham Dobliyal, was holidaying in Himachal Pradesh with his sister and three cousins. He was undertaking a tandem paragliding flight with a local pilot, identified as Vinay Kumar, when the tragic incident occurred barely six minutes after take-off from Billing. While the pilot managed to land safely, the tourist reportedly fell from the paraglider and landed in a densely forested area near the designated landing zone.
According to preliminary information a search and rescue operation was launched. Despite difficult terrain and fading light, rescue teams continued the operation late into the evening and eventually recovered the tourist's body from the forest.
Police conducted the post-mortem examination and subsequently handed over the body to the family. An FIR has been registered against the pilot at Bir police station on charges relating to causing death due to negligence, and further legal proceedings are underway.
Kangra Superintendent of Police Kulbhushan Verma that the possibility of a technical malfunction or human error could not be ruled out. He said all aspects were being investigated to establish the exact circumstances leading to the tragedy. The SP said Shubham was the eldest among the four siblings and relatives who had travelled to Himachal Pradesh for a holiday.
According to Manish, a cousin of the deceased, other members of the family had also undertaken paragliding flights. They learnt about the tragedy only after landing, when the pilot informed them about the incident.
The latest tragedy is the fourth paragliding-related incident reported in Kangra district within the past month, raising serious concerns over the safety of adventure tourism activities in the region.
On October 25, a 47-year-old Bulgarian paraglider lost his life in an accident near Rising Star Peak in the Khanyara-Yol area of Dharamshala, while his 63-year-old British companion was rescued safely. Earlier, on October 21 and 24, two separate incidents involving tourists who had taken off from Bir left them stranded in the hills. Both were subsequently rescued.
The latest incident has renewed calls for comprehensive safety audits, mandatory pre-flight passenger checks, regular equipment inspections and stricter supervision of commercial paragliding operators. There is also a growing need to ensure that safety protocols are followed in letter and spirit rather than being treated as a mere formality.
With another young tourist losing his life, the tragedy has cast a shadow over Bir-Billing's adventure tourism industry and underlined the urgent need to ensure that passenger safety remains paramount in every commercial flight.