Aryan Aviation Officials Face Legal Action After Uttarakhand Helicopter Crash Kills 7

Last Updated:June 16, 2025, 08:47 IST

A case has been filed against Aryan Aviation's Kaushik Pathak and Vikas Tomar after a helicopter crash near Kedarnath killed seven people.

Kedarnath chopper crash: Pilot served in Indian Army for over 15 years (CNN-News18)

A case has been filed against Aryan Aviation Accountable Manager Kaushik Pathak and Manager Vikas Tomar after a tragic helicopter crash near Kedarnath claimed seven lives on Sunday morning.

The FIR has been filed under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 10 of the Aircraft Act.

A Bell 407 helicopter operated by Aryan Aviation Pvt Ltd crashed between Gaurikund and Trijuginarayan around 5:30-5:45 am on Sunday, killing all seven people on board, including an infant and the pilot. The helicopter had taken off from Guptkashi at 5:10 am, landed at Kedarnath helipad, and was headed back to Guptkashi when the accident occurred.

Helicopter services on the Chardham yatra route were suspended for two days on Sunday in the wake of the helicopter crash.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who held an emergency meeting with senior officials to discuss the situation, said heli services will remain suspended for two days as the weather is bad and the safety of passengers is the state government’s top priority.

Besides taking action against those responsible for the crash, CM Dhami also told officials at the meeting to issue a strict SOP for heli operations in the state and set up a control and command centre here.

“There should not be any laxity regarding compliance with DGCA norms in helicopter operations in the state. It should also be ensured that the pilots flying in the upper Himalayan region are experienced," Dhami said after the emergency meeting. 

The Chardham Yatra route in Uttarakhand is witnessing a concerning trend of frequent helicopter crashes and emergency landings, affecting pilgrims visiting sacred sites like Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri, and Gangotri.

The latest crash on Sunday morning is the fifth helicopter accident on the pilgrimage route since the start of the yatra on April 30.

Location :

Uttarakhand (Uttaranchal), India, India

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