Thiruvananthapuram: An elderly man died after a large branch of an age-old tree collapsed onto him and two parked cars near Kachani Junction in Nettayam on Monday. The victim, Sunil Sharma (53), a local resident, was standing under the tree when the decaying branch snapped and fell.

The branch struck Sunil on the head while he was on the phone. He suffered severe injuries and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival. Both cars under the tree — a Volkswagen and a Maruti Baleno — sustained major damage. The Fire and Rescue team reached the spot and used a chainsaw to clear the fallen branch. Traffic in the junction was disrupted for a brief period. Two passengers were inside one of the cars at the time of the incident but escaped unhurt.

“The mango tree fell due to age. One car had been permanently parked there, and another belonged to travellers,” said the Fire Station Officer. “We did not have to break open the vehicle. The upper portion and the glass of one car were damaged, but the doors could still be opened. The occupants were safely evacuated,” the officer added.

Locals told officials that the panchayat had earlier issued an order to cut the tree because of its deteriorating condition, but the action was stalled following objections from environmental activists. “When we inspected the tree, we found a large cavity at the base and decayed portions near several branches. Some other limbs also appear weak and should be removed,” the officer said.

“If the branch had fallen onto the road, it could have hit at least ten to fifteen vehicles, including KSRTC buses. The travellers in the car survived purely by luck,” the officer noted. Officials confirmed that traffic was restored after the tree was removed and no further hazards were identified.