The car on which the eucalyptus tree fell, killing Bharathi, her husband Ramesh and brother Jagadish during Friday night's rain. DH Photo Bellie Thomas.
The car on which the eucalyptus tree fell, killing Bharathi, her husband Ramesh and brother Jagadish during Friday night's rain. DH Photo Bellie Thomas.
Bharathi, a home guard who died along with her husband Ramesh and brother Jagadish after a tree fell on their car during Friday night’s rain, was alive for at least 30 minutes, bleeding and wailing on the right side of the back seat next to her dead husband.
All three died inside the car when a eucalyptus tree came crashing down on their car on Dispensary Road near Minerva Circle.
Bharathi’s elder son Rohith, who was about to enter the car, realised that the tree was coming down, but could not do much except run for safety. By then, the tree had crushed the rear of the car, killing Jagadish and Ramesh instantly.
Rohith then rushed back to the car only to find that the doors were jammed. He held his mother’s head on his lap standing outside and was pleading with people for help. Though, people did respond, they could not do much as the tree was huge.
“The tree was so huge and heavy that even scores of people, including women and children from the neighbourhood, couldn’t move it,” said Venugopal, an eyewitness. The fire force arrived very late since their route was blocked by several uprooted trees. “The woman was alive for at least half an hour as she was wailing and talking to her son,” said Venugopal.
A few of them smashed the front windshield and pulled out mechanic Ali, but could not rescue the three as the entire rear of the car was crushed under the tree. “The three were stuck inside till the firemen arrived and cut through the trees and the car doors to extricate the bodies,” Venugopal said. Chickpet MLA R V Devaraj rushed to the spot and was among those instructing the firemen.
Rohith had come with his parents to Kalasappa garage to repair their Maruti Esteem car’s door locks. Though they had left their car at the garage at 12 noon, the car was not ready till evening. When it was repaired by 7.30 pm, Bharathi’s brother Jagadish came on his scooter to meet them.
As it started raining heavily, Jagadish too got into the car and sat with his sister and brother-in-law. When Rohith was unable to start the car, he told the mechanic to check on it. As soon as Ali got into the car, the tree came crashing down on it, Venugopal added. Two other vehicles, a scooter and Venugopal’s car, were also damaged.
DH News Service