Giant tree crashes in City, kills biker

A motorcyclist was crushed to death and five others injured when a huge decade-old peepul tree came down crashing in Nagashettihalli in Sanjay Nagar on Saturday evening.

Ravi, a 45-year-old painter from Bhadrappa Layout was riding his motorcycle (KA 04 EC 1259) about 3:35 pm when the tree crashed, killing him. Ravi Kumar, Sujatha, Raju and Sundar escaped with injuries.

A car, a motorcycle, a scooter and two autorickshaws that were heading towards Sanjay Nagar were damaged by the tree’s fall.

Seconds before the tree fell, a packed BMTC bus that started from Nagashettihalli terminal passed the spot, said eyewitness Deepa, an IIM graduate from Venkatesha Layout.

The tree stood next to the Millenium School compound on Nagashettihalli Main Road. “As it was a Saturday, the school works half a day. Otherwise, things would have been disastrous as the school finishes by 3:30 pm and most of the vehicles ferrying the schoolchildren park under the tree,” Deepa said.

The giant tree, surrounded by dozens of stone images of snakes and with a circular, raised platform, had many devotees visiting it in the early hours of the day. During (Dhanurmas) late December and early January, hundreds of devotees pray to the sacred tree, noted Ravi Nayak, who stays a stone’s throw away from the accident spot.

Ravi Kumar of Bhadrappa Layout escaped death by a whisker, but his car resembled a mangled mess of metal. Many rushed to offer water to him and tried to shake by hand, while others were keen to know about his ‘great escape’.

“I was driving towards Sanjaynagar and heard a loud noise. Before I could realise what was happening, I saw the mammoth trunk of the tree inches behind me. Right in front of me, I could see a motorcyclist crushed. My driving seat rest too was smashed but I was breathing,” Ravi recalled, still in deep shock.

Govardhan, an autorickshaw driver, had another interesting tale to tell. “I had hopped into my friend Balu’s autorickshaw minutes before the accident occurred. I was seated to the left in the passengers’ seat. The vehicle was crushed. Luckily, Balu escaped without a scratch. In fact, he got out of the shock and with the help of other auto drivers, admitted me to the RMV hospital.”

Sunita, who was passing in front of a mobile shop, opposite the peepul tree on the other side of the pavement, suffered multiple fractures. Injured Raju and Sundar are being treated at M S Ramaiah Hospital.

The BBMP forest cell rushed to the spot and a team of around 20 workers with modernised wood-cutting equipment cleared the road. For nearly four hours, the road was blocked and traffic was diverted.