Tree fall incidents in Bengaluru double this year, cross 1,000 mark: Report
Bengaluru: Tree fall incidents in Bengaluru have doubled compared to last year, crossing the 1,000 mark during this year’s southwest monsoon season, according to data from the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA).
GBA data, cited by The Hindu, shows that between May and September 2025, 1,222 trees were uprooted and 2,585 incidents of branch snapping were recorded. In comparison, the city reported 531 uprooted trees and 2,010 snapped branches between April and August 2024, with no incidents recorded in September 2024.
Tragically, three people lost their lives and six others were injured this year in accidents caused by falling trees or branches. In separate incidents, the victims, all scooter riders, were fatally struck by falling branches, raising concerns about the safety of commuters and pedestrians in the capital city.
Rapid urbanisation, concretisation, and poor urban planning, have been reported as major causes behind the loss of green cover. However, the GBA’s Forest Wing and the erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) cited historical negligence and severe understaffing as major contributing factors.
A GBA official said the forest wing’s manpower shortage has hampered effective tree management. The forest wing currently has nearly 20 officials, including office staff, to manage the entire city. “Tree management is carried out regularly, but covering the whole city with such critical understaffing is impossible,” The Hindu quoted the official as saying.
Similarly, A.N. Yellappa Reddy, former forest secretary and noted silviculturist, said urban tree management is a specialised task that requires trained personnel. However, he noted that the civic body provides no such training, highlighting its negligence.
“We must give equal attention to branch manipulation during root surgery (cutting roots for development works) to maintain the tree’s balance. After surgery, trees should be sprayed with anti-fungal agents, and care should be taken not to damage tissues. However, such practices are rarely followed,” The Hindu quoted Reddy as saying.
Experts say inadequate maintenance has left the city’s trees vulnerable to collapse, particularly during strong winds and heavy rain. Bengaluru’s wind speeds often range between 10 kmph and 40 kmph, occasionally reaching 50 kmph, conditions that can easily uproot weak or imbalanced trees.
They have reportedly urged the civic body to establish mechanisms for citizen participation in monitoring and preserving Bengaluru’s trees, arguing that the absence of public involvement and transparency has led to poor accountability and persistent negligence.
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NEET student hangs self in Rajasthan's Sikar
Jaipur (PTI): A student preparing for the NEET examination allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in a rented room in Rajasthan's Sikar on Friday, police said.
According to the police, the student allegedly hanged himself from a ceiling fan using his sister's scarf while one sister was attending coaching classes and the other was in the bathroom.
He had appeared in the NEET UG exam 2026, which was cancelled due to paper leak, they said.
Udyog Nagar SHO Rajesh Kumar said that the deceased, identified as Pradeep Meghwal, was a resident of Kanika ki Dhani village in Jhunjhunu's Gudha Gaudji area.
He had been living in a rented room in Sikar's Jaldhari Nagar area with his two sisters while preparing for NEET over the last three years.
His elder sister later found him hanging and informed the landlord and police after bringing him down, officials said.
The SHO said the body was kept at SK Hospital mortuary, and a postmortem had not been conducted.
The student's father, Rajesh Kumar Meghwal, told police that Pradeep's NEET examination had gone well and the family was expecting him to score around 650 marks.
Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot expressed grief over the incident and linked it to anxiety among students after reports of irregularities and paper leaks in NEET 2026.
Pilot said repeated paper leak incidents and cancellation of examinations were affecting students' mental health and demanded a time-bound investigation and strict action against those responsible.
