KULGAM, JANUARY,21:
A 16‑year‑old girl, Renu Jan, daughter of Manzoor Ahmad Bhat from Chittergam, Kund, was critically injured when a large branch of a walnut tree snapped and fell on her during strong gusty winds on Thursday evening. She had been staying at a relative’s house in Oriel Kund when the accident occurred, leaving her with serious head and chest trauma.
Immediately after the incident, local residents rushed her to Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag, where doctors classified her condition as critical and began emergency treatment. Authorities from the Kulgam district police and disaster‑response teams arrived at the scene to secure the area and assess any further hazards.
The incident adds to a growing list of tree‑related injuries in rural Kashmir, where walnut trees—often towering 40–50 ft with slippery bark—are a common source of trauma during harvest and storm seasons. Officials are urging residents to avoid sheltering under large trees during high winds and to report any dangerous limbs for prompt removal.