Man dies after falling 200 feet while attempting cliff-side selfie in Aravallis

The deceased was identified as Kamal Kumar, a resident of Adarsh Nagar in Ballabhgarh. Police said he had gone to Vainda rock mine in the Aravallis on the Gurugram-Faridabad road along with his two friends

A 42-year-old man died on Saturday night after allegedly falling off a cliff in the Aravallis while taking a selfie on Gurugram-Faridabad Road, said police. Police said the body was retrieved about 14 hours after the accident.

Police said they found the body around 10.30am around 225 feet below the cliff. The challenge was to lift it up to the top. Hydraulic machines were called to the spot and the body was retrieved around 12.30pm, said police. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The deceased was identified as Kamal Kumar, a resident of Adarsh Nagar in Ballabhgarh. Police said he had gone to Vainda rock mine in the Aravallis on the Gurugram-Faridabad road along with his two friends.

Surender Sheoran, assistant commissioner of police (Crime), Faridabad, said around 9.30pm, he made a video call to his wife on WhatsApp and showed her the surroundings. “After a few minutes, he started clicking selfies while standing on the edge of a cliff. He slipped and fell almost 200 feet down,” he said.

Sheoran said \his friends tried looking for him but since it was dark, they could not find him. They informed the police around 11pm. “A team from Dabua police station and fire station teams were sent to the spot but due to the height, they launched a rescue operation on Sunday around 6am,” he said.

Police said they found the body around 10.30am around 225 feet below the cliff. The challenge was to lift it up to the top. Hydraulic machines were called to the spot and the body was retrieved around 12.30pm, said police.

Ravi Kumar, a friend of the deceased, said they were partying in the Aravallis since evening and all of them had taken half-day from work for the party that was planned last week. “Kamal was fascinated with the area and called his wife to tell her so. He later stood and went to click selfies and fell off the cliff. We tried searching for him with the help of a mobile torch but could not find him following which we informed his family and the police,” he said.

Police said they have launched a probe and a preliminary investigation revealed that there was no foul play in the incident.

Sheoran said the body was handed over to the family members after a post-mortem examination and no case was registered. “The incident took place due to the negligence of the deceased. Meanwhile, we have recorded statements of both friends who were present with the deceased at the time of accident,” he said.