A big branch of a neem tree at the Gopalnagar crossing in Alipore came crashing down on two pedestrians, on Sunday morning.
Police said Uttam Das, 56, a resident of Belvedere Road, and Baiju Mallick, 50, of Alipore Road, were walking along the road when the branch crashed on them around 10.40am on Sunday.
“It is an old tree along the side of Gopalnagar Road. The tree is located in front of a series of shops and one big branch suddenly broke loose and crashed. Two men were just under the tree and came under the leafy branch,” said a resident of the area.
Police said the branch was removed and the portion of the road that was blocked by the branch was cleared.
Mallick suffered injuries in his leg, while Das was injured on his back. Both were taken to SSKM Hospital where they have been admitted, police said.
This is not the first time that a roadside tree in Kolkata or its branch has collapsed and injured pedestrians or motorists in the city.
Several trees whose roots have weakened either due to gusty winds and cyclones or whose trunks have got imbalanced because of top-heavy growth have crashed across pockets of the city.
“It was a lucky escape that both the men who came under the huge leafy branch did not get head injuries. It was a heavy branch. The tree is very old and no one noticed that the branches were in a dilapidated condition,” said a police officer.
The disaster management group and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation were informed.
Apart from removing the broken branch, several other big branches that were in a precarious state and apprehended to fall too, were also trimmed.
