Three, including instructor, held

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Varkala police arrested three persons, including the instructor and staff of a paragliding institute, on Wednesday over the incident in which a Coimbatore-based woman was trapped on a high-mast lamp while flying along with the instructor at Papanasham in Varkala, on Tuesday.
The arrested are Fly Adventures instructor Sandeep (30) from Uttarakhand, and staff Shreyas (27) from Ottoor near Mambazhathara, and Prabhudeva (29) from Vakkom. The key persons of the firm are absconding, police informed.
A case has been registered against them based on a complaint by Pavithra (28). "The case was registered under IPC sections 308 for causing death by negligence and 34 for acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention. Despite knowing that flying in the area would result in accidents, the firm took the tourist for flying, risking her life," said police.
According to the woman, Sandeep did not stop flying despite her asking him to do so after taking off. In the fifth minute of flying, she felt something was wrong and requested him to land her safely. But he ignored it and continued flying, and the parachute got entangled in the pole of a high-mast lamp. The duo were trapped for nearly 2 hours and fell safely into a fire force net at the bottom of the lamp.
Pavithra alleged that Shreyas and Prabhudeva approached her at the hospital, impersonating as hospital staff, asking her to sign some papers. Since paragliding is a risky sport, flyer's consent in writing is a must. However, Pavithra's consent was not taken before, and the staff were trying to get it after the accident to save face. However, the firm possesses all mandatory licences to conduct paragliding operations, said police. "Permission was given to the firm for paragliding at the cliff, not at Papanasham. Papanasham is not ideal for paragliding due to weather patterns and strict directions issued earlier by Varkala municipality to people indulging the sport. But the firm violated the order by flying in a dangerous zone," said police.
The accused have been remanded after producing before a court. TNN