A tragic incident in Bengaluru has claimed the life of 29-year-old Akshay Shivaram, an HR professional, after a tree branch suddenly fell on his head. The incident occurred around 1 PM near the Brahma Chaitanya Temple in Hanumanthnagar while Akshay was returning home with daily essentials.
Akshay, who was riding his scooter without a helmet, suffered serious head injuries after a large branch snapped and struck him. The impact fractured his skull, and he lost control of his vehicle, crashing into a parked car. CCTV footage captured the horrifying moment, showing Akshay collapsing instantly. Bystanders rushed to help and took him to a nearby private hospital.
Despite being in a coma for several days, Akshay couldn’t recover and passed away recently. He had reportedly planned to cook his father’s favourite chicken dish that day as a birthday surprise, plans that were cruelly cut short.
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Calls For Safety, Civic Accountability Grow
Online users reacted with sorrow and concern. “This is why head protection is necessary… Plz wear helmets. Not for the sake but for safety,” one person wrote. Another commented, “I missed death once, just like this. A branch fell on me. I was wearing a helmet—it saved me. But it slipped through to my back.”
Some believe the tragic moment was a mix of poor timing and misfortune. “It seems that the sudden pick-up of a tempo caused the rider to slow down and stop under the exact fall point of the branch. He could have escaped otherwise,” read another post.
Family Alleges Negligence By BBMP
Speaking to the Deccan Herald, Akshay’s cousin, Teju, blamed the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for failing to act on repeated warnings. “The local temple management made at least three complaints requesting BBMP to clear dead tree branches. Had they done that, this wouldn’t have happened. The branch was only trimmed after Akshay’s accident,” he said.
Before Akshay’s passing, BBMP officials visited his family and promised to bear his medical expenses. However, the family remains uncertain. “BBMP often promises help but rarely follows through,” a relative expressed.
