Perinthalmanna: A routine journey turned into a nightmare for passengers on a private bus when a massive banyan tree came crashing down on the vehicle in Puliyakkode, Malappuram district, on Tuesday evening. The incident, which occurred around 4:30 PM on the Pattikkad-Vadapuram state highway between Vandoor and Porur, left multiple passengers injured and one young man in critical condition.

The bus, which was en route from Perinthalmanna and heading towards a roadside stop, was reportedly attempting to navigate around a tree leaning toward the road. In a tragic twist of fate, the decades-old banyan suddenly gave way and toppled onto the rear of the bus, severely damaging it and causing immediate chaos.

There were approximately twenty passengers on board when the mishap occurred. Most of the commuters sitting in the front managed to escape without serious injuries, thanks to quick thinking and a timely exit. However, a young man seated at the rear was not so fortunate. He became trapped between the mangled seat frames and twisted metal, requiring nearly 30 minutes of coordinated rescue efforts by the police, fire and rescue services, trauma care volunteers, and local residents.

Eyewitnesses reported harrowing scenes of passengers screaming for help as the heavy branches crushed the rear portion of the vehicle. The quick response from nearby locals helped contain the tragedy. They arrived with tools and a sense of urgency, working hand in hand with emergency responders to free the injured.

The critically injured youth was eventually pulled out and immediately rushed to a nearby hospital along with others who sustained various degrees of injuries. The victims were admitted to different healthcare facilities in and around Perinthalmanna, where treatment is currently underway.

The force of the falling tree completely obliterated the back section of the bus, reducing seats to splinters and metal to debris. Experts believe the tree may have been weakened by recent soil erosion or unnoticed decay, raising questions about the safety of trees along busy roadways.

The incident caused major traffic disruption on the state highway, which remained blocked for nearly an hour. Vehicles were rerouted while rescue operations and clearing of the fallen tree were carried out. Authorities used cranes and chainsaws to remove the tree and restore normalcy.

Local officials have launched an inquiry into the accident. They are assessing whether earlier reports about the precarious state of the banyan tree had been neglected. Meanwhile, residents have urged the district administration to survey large roadside trees and take preventive action to avert similar disasters in the future.

This chilling incident serves as a stark reminder of how nature’s unpredictability, when combined with infrastructural oversight, can have dangerous consequences. A full report from the district administration is awaited.