Six people died after a helicopter travelling from Badrinath Dham crashed near Joshimath in Uttarakhand, with five victims reportedly from Karnataka, including a Tumakuru educational institution head and a Bengaluru police inspector
A helicopter crash near Joshimath in Uttarakhand claimed six lives, including five people from Karnataka. The deceased reportedly include HN Nataraju, head of Vidya Bharati Educational Institution in Tumakuru, and Bengaluru Police Inspector Arun Salanki. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said rescue operations were underway.
Dehradun: Six people, including five from Karnataka, died after a helicopter travelling from Badrinath Dham crashed near Joshimath in Uttarakhand. The victims reportedly include HN Nataraju, head of Vidya Bharati Educational Institution in Tumakuru, and Bengaluru Police Inspector Arun Salanki.
Nataraju, a resident of Huliyurdurga in Tumakuru district, was reportedly travelling with five friends. According to the information available, the group had left for a trip four days before the accident.
Bengaluru Police Inspector Arun Salanki Among Victims
Bengaluru Police Inspector Arun Salanki was also among those who died in the crash. He was reportedly on a Char Dham pilgrimage with friends and family. Salanki is survived by two children, according to the information provided.
The identities of the other victims were not included in the initial details.
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami Monitors Rescue Operation
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed concern over the accident and said the district administration, Disaster Management Department and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were conducting a joint rescue operation.
In his initial reaction, Dhami described the crash near Chai village in the Joshimath area as unfortunate. He said he was monitoring the situation and had instructed officials to arrange immediate air evacuation for seriously injured people to ensure better medical treatment.
He also expressed hope for the safe return of the passengers.
