Man dies as huge tree falls on vehicles in Delhi's Kaklaji amid rain, daughter injured

New Delhi: A massive tree in the middle of a Kalkaji road uprooted and fell on vehicles crawling in rain-soaked Delhi on Thursday morning, killing a 50-year-old man while his daughter suffered a pelvic fracture, police said. The incident was captured on CCTV in which the huge tree, inches away from the footpath, can be seen uprooting from the road and falling on unaware commuters. The tree fell on some vehicles, including a motorcycle in which the man and his daughter were travelling. A video from the spot showed the father-daughter duo trapped between the fallen tree and the bike as several people holding umbrellas gathered around and tried to help rescue them.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Hemant Tiwari said at approximately 9.50 am, an old neem tree suddenly fell in front of HDFC Bank near Paras Chowk, Kalkaji. As a result, two people riding a motorcycle, identified as Sudhir Kumar (50) and his daughter Priya (22), residents of Tughlaqabad, got trapped beneath the fallen tree, he said. According to the police, while the father succumbed to injuries, his daughter suffered a fracture in the right pelvic region. She is stable and recovering. Sudhir, a caretaker at a DUSIB night shelter in old Delhi, is survived by his wife and three children including a son. A car was also damaged in the incident. Its owner, who was inside, did not sustain any injuries and was taken out safely. Amit Chaturvedi, brother of the car owner, told PTI, “I was in office when I asked my brother if he left for the office. He informed me that a huge tree fell on his car while he was on his way to work. Fortunately, he has not sustained injuries.” Shivani Chauhan, a local, said, “It was a very big tree. They were travelling through the road when the tree fell. The father died on the spot and the daughter was rescued and taken to the hospital.” "The car owner is a resident of Kalkaji G block. Thankfully, nothing happened to him. This is a big negligence on the part of the government,” Chauhan told media reporters.

Local police responded swiftly to the PCR call, the DCP said, adding that immediate rescue operations were initiated. The officer added that a JCB machine was arranged on priority, and due to the collective and timely efforts of the police team, both injured individuals were safely extricated and shifted to hospital through CATS Ambulance for medical attention, the DCP said. The daughter is undergoing treatment at Safdarjung Trauma Centre, the DCP said. Soon after the incident, the area was secured and traffic was regulated accordingly to avoid further disruption. A hydraulic crane was deployed to remove the tree and clear the road, the police said. Municipal authorities have been alerted to assess the damage and carry out necessary pruning in the area to prevent further incidents, the officials added.