What began as a scenic cable car ride over the snow-covered peaks of Jammu and Kashmir's Gulmarg turned into a terrifying ordeal for nearly 300 tourists on Sunday after the famed Gulmarg Gondola service suffered a sudden technical breakdown, leaving visitors stranded mid-air for hours. A massive multi-agency rescue operation involving the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, paramilitary forces and Civil Defence teams was launched immediately to evacuate tourists trapped inside multiple chair cars suspended above the mountainous terrain. Officials said the technical snag occurred around 1 pm, disrupting operations in the first phase of the Gulmarg Gondola service in north Kashmir's premier tourist resort. "A sudden technical fault hit the operations in the first phase of the Gulmarg cable car," a senior official of the Gulmarg Development Authority said. The first phase of the Gondola runs from the Gulmarg bowl to Kangdori, while the second phase extends up to Apha...
Kristian Trend, a 40-year-old wellness coach from Leicester, England, died last month after taking part in a 'cleansing' ritual involving Kambo, a toxic secretion derived from the Amazonian giant leaf frog. According to a Telegraph report, he is believed to be the first British person to die following the use of the substance.
The incident occurred at a flat in Clarendon Park, Leicester, where Trend reportedly participated in a traditional "purging" ceremony commonly associated with South American spiritual and healing practices. During such rituals, Kambo is typically applied to small burns made on the skin, allowing the toxin to enter the bloodstream.
Emergency services were called to the property on April 11 after Trend became seriously unwell during the ceremony. He was treated at the scene before being rushed to hospital, where he later died.
Leicestershire Police confirmed that a 41-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of administering poison in connection with the case. He has since been released on bail while investigations continue. Toxicology tests are currently underway to determine the precise cause of death.
Trend's death has drawn widespread attention because it came only months after he had reportedly overcome Burkitt lymphoma, a rare and aggressive form of blood cancer. After spending several months in the hospital, he recovered and later devoted his life to wellness, spirituality, and alternative healing practices. He travelled extensively across India and other parts of Asia and became well known in holistic wellness circles.
Family members said his battle with cancer had profoundly changed his outlook on life and deepened his interest in spiritual cleansing and natural therapies. His mother, Angie, reportedly said that her son believed strongly in holistic healing and had spoken about wanting to cleanse himself before death.
"He was going to cleanse himself; that's what he said to me. He was very spiritual. He took a lot of vitamins. But I don't know what happened," Trend's mother, Angie, told The Telegraph.
About Kambo
- Kambo is a traditional Amazonian ritual practiced by indigenous tribes in South America. The ritual uses a waxy toxic secretion obtained from the giant leaf frog, also known as the giant monkey frog.
- The frog naturally produces the toxin as a defence mechanism to protect itself from predators.
- During the ceremony, participants first drink around one litre of water. Small burns are then created on the skin using a heated stick, after which the Kambo secretion is applied directly onto the open wounds.
- For men, the burns are usually made on the arms or chest, while for women they are commonly placed on the legs.
- The toxin produces intense physical and psychological reactions and is often compared to psychedelic substances such as ayahuasca. Reported side effects include confusion, memory loss, lethargy, hallucinations and psychosis.
- According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Kambo contains powerful bioactive compounds that can trigger dangerous reactions in the human body.
- Medical experts and health authorities have warned that the substance has been linked to severe vomiting, seizures, liver failure, heart complications and sudden cardiac death in some cases.
- Although promoted in some alternative wellness circles as a detoxifying or healing therapy, Kambo remains highly controversial due to safety concerns.
- The substance is banned in countries including Australia, Brazil and Chile. However, Kambo remains legal in the United Kingdom and can still be purchased there.
Following Trend's death, UK authorities urged people to exercise caution regarding unregulated alternative therapies. A government spokesperson said substances that pose potential public health risks remain under review.
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