Daijiworld Media Network – Panaji

Panaji, Jan 20: In the wake of a tragic paragliding accident in North Goa's Querim, which claimed the lives of a tourist from Maharashtra and a pilot, the police have arrested the owner of an adventure sports company for allegedly conducting unauthorized operations.

On Saturday evening, Shivani Dabale (27) from Pune, along with pilot Suman Nepali (26), plunged into a ravine after their paraglider's cable snapped mid-flight. They had taken off from the Keri plateau in North Goa. Both were rushed to the hospital but were declared dead upon arrival.

The police arrested Shekhar Raizada, owner of the adventure sports company Hike ‘n’ Fly, late Saturday night. Raizada was charged with running paragliding activities without the necessary permissions and safety equipment, endangering the lives of the participants. The police complaint stated that Raizada allowed the pilot to conduct the flight without a valid license, which led to the fatal crash.

The Goa tourism department also confirmed that it had not granted permission for paragliding activities at the Keri plateau. In a statement issued Sunday, the department expressed condolences to the families of the victims and emphasized its commitment to ensuring all tourism activities adhere to safety regulations and licensing requirements.

The department called for tourists and operators to only use licensed and authorized services to avoid such incidents in the future, and an inquiry is underway to hold those responsible accountable.