A 28-year-old man died in a tragic accident in Manalur after a tree fell on a temporary shed during strong winds on Thursday night. The deceased has been identified as Vishnu, son of Thripranath Subran, who lived on Gothamb Road in Manalur second ward and worked as a tree felling labourer.
According to local residents, Vishnu had been sleeping in an attached thatched shed near his house as part of ongoing house construction work. During the night, heavy winds caused a tree standing in the nearby yard to break and collapse directly onto the shed. Vishnu was trapped beneath the fallen tree, and his body was discovered only the next morning.
By the time people in the area noticed the incident, Vishnu had already died. Local residents immediately began rescue efforts. Fire force personnel from Nattika later reached the spot and cut and removed the tree, but the victim could not be saved.
The accident has left the local community in shock. Vishnu’s father, Subran, had already passed away earlier, and he was living with his mother, Valliyamma. The family was building a house with assistance from the LIFE housing scheme. Construction work on the roof slab had already been completed, and his mother had been staying in the house. Residents said Vishnu also usually slept there.
The incident highlights the danger posed by falling trees and unstable structures during strong winds, especially in areas where construction work is under way. What began as a routine night turned into a heartbreaking tragedy for the family, which has now been left with only Vishnu’s mother after the untimely death of the young labourer.
Police and local authorities are expected to review the circumstances surrounding the death. The body was found after dawn, when the scale of the damage became clear. The fatal accident has prompted grief in the neighbourhood, where Vishnu was known as a working young man helping with the family’s house construction.
The news comes as residents in the region face intermittent strong winds, raising concerns about safety around weak trees, temporary shelters, and unfinished buildings. For Vishnu’s family, however, the loss is deeply personal and devastating. A son who was contributing to the construction of a new home lost his life in the very place where he had hoped to find shelter and security.
