In a shocking incident, an official of the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority was killed when he was hit by the tail rotor blades of a helicopter in Kedarnath. The incident took place at the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam helipad in Kedarnath, Rudraprayag Superintendent of Police Vishakha Ashok Bhadane said.
The 35-year-old victim, identified as Amit Saini, was on his way to board the helicopter. According to Rudraprayag District Magistrate Mayur Dikshit, he suffered severe neck injuries after being hit by the helicopter's tail rotor and died on the spot.
Saini worked as a finance controller in the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority and was part of a team that had visited the helipad to inspect the arrangements for the heli-services to the Himalayan temple, scheduled to open on April 25.
District Disaster Management Officer Nandan Singh Rajwar said the accident occurred around 2.15 pm when the team was about to return after its inspection. The authorities are busy finalising the arrangements for the pilgrimage to Kedarnath amid snowfall and intermittent rain in Kedarnath.
Kedarnath Yatra's registration suspended
Earlier in the day, the registration for the annual Kedarnath Yatra was suspended till April 30 in Rishikesh and Haridwar due to rain and snowfall in the upper reaches of the Garhwal Himalayas in the past few days. The holy shrine will be opened to the public on April 25.
Additional Commissioner (Administration) of Garhwal Division and Additional Chief Executive Officer of Chardham yatra Administration Organisation Narendra Singh Kaviriyal while speaking to news agency PTI said, "In view of the bad weather and heavy snowfall, the registration of pilgrims for the Kedarnath yatra has been suspended till April 30 in Rishikesh and Haridwar." He further said that after reviewing the weather conditions in the coming days, the Uttarakhand government will take decisions accordingly in the interest of the devotees.
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