Nepal: Indian pilgrim beheaded by rear blade of helicopter

Kathmandu, Aug 15: A 42-year-old Indian Kailash Mansarovar pilgrim was beheaded by the rear blade of a helicopter at a remote helipad in Nepal's Hilsa region, according to a media report.

The deceased, identified as Nagendra Kumar Kartik Mehta, a resident of Mumbai, was en route to the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage, My Republica reported.

According to assistant chief district officer, Mahesh Kumar Pokharel, the helicopter was on the ground at the time.

The pilgrim was supposed to move away from the chopper after getting off but accidentally he moved towards the rear part and was hit by the spinning tail rotor, according to the police.

The body will be taken to Simikot for a post-mortem and to hand over to the next to kin.
The rear part of the helicopter was damaged.

Nepal's Simikot and Hilsa are connected to the rest of the world only by small aircraft or helicopters and there is no other way to travel in and out of these places.

The pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar in Tibetan region of China is considered holy by Hindus, Buddhists and Jains. Every year, hundreds of Indians undertake the 'yatra' which involves trekking under inhospitable conditions.