Bengaluru: A potential tragedy was narrowly avoided in Jayanagar 4th Block on Sunday afternoon when a massive tree, reportedly over 60 years old, suddenly collapsed onto a parked autorickshaw and two bikes. Fortunately, the auto driver and nearby pedestrians escaped with minor injuries.
The incident occurred around 1 PM, when auto driver Manjunath had stopped outside a hotel for lunch. Seconds later, a loud cracking sound echoed through the area as the large tree came crashing down, smashing the auto and two parked two-wheelers beneath it.
Manjunath, who sustained a minor head injury due to falling branches, recounted his escape: “I heard the sound and started running. A branch hit me, but luckily, I escaped. My auto is completely damaged.”
Local eyewitnesses, some of whom were working nearby, described the moment of panic. “There were many vehicles around. Thankfully, people had just moved away. If this had happened on a weekday, it could’ve been a major disaster,” a resident said.
Residents stated that some branches from the same tree had fallen earlier in the day, damaging a car. They immediately informed BBMP authorities, who arrived and removed the branches. However, no one anticipated that the entire tree would collapse by noon.
The BBMP reportedly compensated ₹7,500 to the affected auto driver but has not yet addressed the complete damage. The tree, which belonged to the Forest Department, had shown signs of decay but had not been marked for removal, according to locals.
Civic officials have now begun a survey of aged trees in the area to prevent further mishaps. “Timely intervention is needed to ensure that trees in a dangerous state are removed before lives are lost,” said a local activist.
