ICF Engineer Jayavel Killed by Falling Tree Near ICF Road-New Avadi Road Junction

A 59-year-old senior engineer at the Integral Coach Factory was killed on Monday evening when a roadside neem tree collapsed onto his motorcycle near the ICF Road-New Avadi Road junction, close to Anna Nagar.

The victim, identified as Jayavel, was a resident of Sivalingapuram in Korattur. According to the ICF police, Jayavel had traveled to the Anna Nagar neighborhood on Monday evening for personal work and was riding his motorcycle back home when the accident occurred.

As he reached the junction of ICF Road and New Avadi Road, strong winds caused the large roadside neem tree to suddenly uproot and fall directly onto him. The heavy impact left Jayavel with severe injuries, and he died on the spot before any help could arrive at the scene.

Personnel from the ICF police station rushed to the spot, secured the area, and recovered the body. Jayavel's body was subsequently sent to the Kilpauk Medical College Hospital for a postmortem examination.

Local corporation officials who examined the site stated that the tree and its canopy looked perfectly fine from the outside, and the roots were still anchored to the ground. They suspect the uprooting was caused by heartwood decay, a disease that ails the inner core of the tree and is not usually visible from the exterior.

"We have not received any complaints with regard to the tree, and going by its external appearance there was no reason to suspect that the tree was in poor health," a corporation official said. The official also noted that they routinely prune trees in the area.

The fallen tree and its branches blocked the roadway, causing temporary traffic disruptions at the busy junction. Corporation officials immediately cleared the debris from the road to help restore the normal flow of traffic.