Falling trees and branches are proving to be dangerous for pedestrians and motorists as in a span of two days one man was killed and a girl is battling for her life in separate tree-related accidents.
A 52-year-old Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board employee succumbed to his injuries on Thursday evening after a huge tree crashed on his car earlier in the day.
The incident occurred within the Board’s premises at Swami Vivekananda Road on Thursday afternoon where Srinivas worked as a fitter in the south-east division. He had been on extended medical leave after his leg had been amputated to stop the spread of gangrene.
However, he had come to office on Thursday afternoon around 1.30 p.m., with his wife and son, and was hoping to seek permission to resume work. “As he couldn’t walk, his wife and son went into the BWSSB office to seek permission from the Assistant Executive Engineer Nagaraj K., while Srinivas was sitting in the backseat of the car,” said a police officer.
Minutes later, a huge tree fell and crushed the car. BWSSB staff ran out and managed to extricate him from the car. “He had sustained injuries to his head. They took him to a hospital where he succumbed on Thursday evening.
“Around 15 people, including staff members, were at the office and had a narrow escape,” a senior police officer said.
The Halasuru police have taken up a case of natural death and are investigating. Civic commissioner B. H. Anil Kumar, when contacted, said that the maintenance of the tree is the responsibility of the BWSSB and not the BBMP.
Eight-year-old critical
On Wednesday, at 8.40 a.m., a dry branch from a peepal tree fell on her near Anjaneyaswamy temple at Kundalahalli, Ramamurthy Nagar, while she was riding pillion on a scooter with her father, Y. Raju. He was dropping her off to school.
According to the police, Mr. Raju slowed down to negotiate a hump when the tree branch fell on his daughter. “She fell from the two-wheeler having sustained severe head injuries. He lost his balance and slipped,” said a police officer.
Passers-by rushed her to a private hospital where she is in the ICU. Her condition is said to be critical. As word of the injury spread to surrounding neighbourhoods, residents gathered at the accident spot to protest against the BBMP. Many alleged that it was negligence on the part of the civic body as they had brought up the problem of dead branches on the peepal tree and the risk posed to passers-by. A case has been registered at K.R. Puram police station against BBMP officials and probe under way.
BBMP Mayor M. Goutham Kumar, and commissioner B.H. Anil Kumar on Thursday visited the hospital where the girl is being treated and assured the family that medical expenses would be borne by the civic body. Mr. Anil Kumar, who said that he was saddened by the incident, claimed that forest officials had attempted to clear the dead branch a week ago. “However, they were prevented from doing so by local residents. The BBMP has already taken up tree census, and we urge citizens to cooperate,” he said.
Mr. Goutham Kumar said he would meet with forest and horticulture departments and direct them to identify dry branches and clear them immediately to ensure that such accidents do not recur. Padmavathi Srinivas, chairperson of the Standing Committee for Markets and local councillor, has given ₹1 lakh from her personal funds to the victim’s family.