Five Karnataka Friends, Including Police Inspector, Die in Chamoli Helicopter Crash
· World · Indian Express, Hindustan Times
A Trans Bharat Aviation helicopter crashed around 2 pm in the Hathi Parvat area while flying from Badrinath to Dehradun, killing all six aboard. Among the victims were Inspector Arun Salunke of Bengaluru’s CCB, businessman Prathapa Bachihally Ningaraju from Hassan, and advocates Sudheer K, Shankargowda VB and H S Nataraj from various Karnataka cities. The five Karnataka victims were on a Char Dham pilgrimage with a close-knit group of friends; Mahesh from Tumakuru, who had been invited, declined due to work. Rescue teams recovered all bodies, and authorities are coordinating to bring the remains to Karnataka for burial. The pilot, Capt. Himanshu, was from Delhi. Officials in both Uttarakhand and Karnataka are handling the post‑mortem and repatriation process. State Disaster Response Force, Army, ITBP and other agencies conducted the search and rescue operation. The tragedy has shocked the region and highlighted the risks of pilgrimage travel in the Himalayan terrain. Efforts to bring t
Why it matters
The loss of Inspector Arun Salunke, a senior Central Crime Branch official, and four prominent Karnataka citizens has deprived the state of key public servants and community leaders. Families of the victims are now dealing with grief and the logistical challenge of bringing bodies home, while the state’s disaster and police agencies are coordinating the post‑mortem and repatriation. The incident also raises questions about the safety of civilian helicopter services used for pilgrimage travel in
Read the original report — Indian Express
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