Tragedy in the Hills: 6 Dead in Uttarakhand Chopper Crash; 5 Victims from Karnataka
Six people, including five from Karnataka, died in a helicopter crash near Joshimath, Uttarakhand, due to bad weather and snowfall.
A private pilgrimage tour turned into a nightmare on Friday as a helicopter crashed in the rugged terrain of Uttarakhand, claiming the lives of all six people on board. Among the deceased were five residents of Karnataka, including two from the Kunigal constituency, sparking grief and shock across the southern state.
The Fatal Flight
The civil helicopter, operated by Trans Bharat Aviation, was transporting a pilot and five passengers from Badrinath to Dehradun. According to the Uttarakhand State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC), the aircraft crashed around 2 pm in the Hathi Parvat area. Authorities believe that adverse weather conditions and heavy snowfall played a critical role in the accident.
Following the crash, a massive rescue operation was launched. Disaster management authorities in Uttarakhand mobilised teams from the Indian Army, SDRF, ITBP, the police, and the Health Department to reach the remote crash site and recover the bodies.
"Two from my own constituency": MLA H D Ranganath
Congress MLA H D Ranganath, representing Kunigal, expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy. He revealed that the victims had opted for a private chopper service for their pilgrimage instead of the traditional road route.
"Today, we received a distress phone call reporting that six people travelling in a chopper near Dehradun were involved in a crash, and all six people have died. Unfortunately, five of them were from Karnataka, and two were from the Kunigal constituency, which I represent as an MLA," Ranganath stated.
Prominent Victims and Personal Losses
Among those who perished was Circle Inspector Arun Solanki, a CCB officer who had previously served in Kunigal. The loss of the officer has added to the gravity of the incident.
Another victim, Shankar Gowda, a lawyer from Huliyurdurga in Kunigal, was remembered by his neighbours as a deeply religious and warm-hearted man. A neighbour shared that Gowda was well-known for his helpful nature and devotion, noting that he had recently fasted for nine days during Navratri and was eager to celebrate Ganpati and Diwali.
Government Coordination and Recovery
The Karnataka state government has stepped in to coordinate the repatriation of the deceased. The Chief Minister's Office is in direct communication with the Dehradun District Collector to ensure the smooth retrieval of the bodies.
A dedicated team from Karnataka is currently travelling via Delhi to Dehradun. MLA Ranganath confirmed that while the crash site has been identified and the bodies recovered, the formal identification process is underway.
Next Steps in Identification
- Post-mortems are being conducted in Dehradun.
- Officials expect to complete the identification process by the following day.
- In the event that visual identification is not possible, authorities will resort to DNA testing to confirm the identities of the victims.