Bhayandar: A 35-year-old motorcyclist who was critically injured after a coconut tree collapsed on him in Bhayandar succumbed to his injuries on Friday morning after battling for life for two days at a private hospital. The deceased, Rahul Patil, was the son of former Mira-Bhayander Municipal Council deputy president and former corporator Ashok Patil.The accident took place on Wednesday evening when Rahul was riding home along the Bhayandar-Uttan Road. As he passed through Sadanand Nagar in Rai village, a roadside coconut tree crashed on him. He was not wearing a helmet and sustained severe injuries to his neck and spine.Passers-by rushed him to a private hospital in Bhayandar, where he was admitted to the intensive care unit. Doctors were preparing to perform surgery to replace damaged vertebrae in his neck, but he succumbed to his injuries before the procedure could be carried out.Rahul, who was unmarried, lived with his parents and sister in Murdha village. Family friends said he had gone to Bhayandar East to refuel his motorcycle but, finding the petrol pump crowded, drove to a fuel station in Bhayandar West. The accident occurred while he was returning home after filling fuel.His last rites were performed at the crematorium in Murdha village on Friday evening in the presence of a large number of relatives, friends and local residents.Senior inspector Jitendra Kamble of Bhayandar police station said an accidental death report (ADR) has been registered and further action will be taken after the investigation.Additional municipal commissioner Priyanka Rajput said firefighters removed the fallen tree from the road. “The tree had not been uprooted. It had become hollow due to termite infestation, which caused it to collapse,” she said. Rajput added that the accident could possibly have been prevented had the tree been surveyed in time. She said the municipal commissioner would decide on any further action.The tree had decayed internally from the base. “This was not something that happened overnight; the decay had most likely developed over several years as water seeped into the trunk from the outside, causing it to rot from within. As a result, the tree’s structural fibres, which normally provide strength, weakened and eventually failed to bear its weight, causing the coconut tree to snap and collapse. This underlines the need for regular inspection of roadside trees. Had such inspections been carried out, the deterioration could have been detected in time and this unfortunate incident might have been prevented,” a botanist said.Meanwhile, the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) directed officials to conduct an urgent survey of dangerous trees across the city and submit a report within 24 hours. Ironically, later the same day, a motorcyclist was killed after a coconut tree fell on him in Bhayandar. MBMC commissioner Radhabinod Sharma instructed all ward offices to immediately identify dangerous trees across the city. The order directed officials to physically inspect such trees, geo-tag them, photograph them and submit a detailed report within 24 hours. The circular also warned that negligence or delay would not be tolerated and that officials concerned would be held accountable if any tree-fall incident resulted in loss of life or property.
