3 dead as uprooted banyan tree falls on shop during Rajshahi storm

Four others were also injured in the incident

Three people have been crushed to death by a falling banyan tree in Rajshahi's Bagha Upazila. Four other people were also injured.

The incident took place around 8:15pm on Tuesday in Chawkbazar village of Bausa union, said Aminul Islam, chief of Bagha Police Station.

The dead were identified as Jalal Uddin 40, Zakirul, 30, and Sentu, 40. Two of them were identified with a single name.

The injured - Mukul, Rubel, Shaharul and Azgar – were all identified with a single name too.

All of the victims are residents of Chakbausa village.

OC Aminul stated that the storm began with rain on Tuesday night, during which several locals were seated in shops at the Raja intersection. When the banyan tree fell, they were trapped underneath.

Police and Fire Service personnel went to the spot when the incident was reported, rescued the victims and admitted them to Bagha Upazila Health Complex.

Dr Nabila Mehnaz of the health complex emergency department stated that seven people with injuries were brought there after the tree fell. Three of them were pronounced dead. The remaining four are currently undergoing treatment and are in stable condition.