Sumbal (Bandipora): A non-local street vendor was injured when a willow tree was uprooted by strong winds and came crashing down on him in the Sumbal area of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district on Monday.
The injured was identified as Ratish Kumar (25), son of Dia Ram, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, currently residing in Sumbal Colony. He ekes out his livelihood by selling ‘gol gappas’ from a roadside stall near Sumbal Bridge.
According to officials and eyewitnesses, the incident occurred when sudden high-velocity winds swept through the area, uprooting a large willow tree. The tree fell directly onto the vendor while he was attending to customers at his stall, leaving him injured.
Local residents immediately rushed to the spot and shifted the injured to the Community Health Centre (CHC) Sumbal for initial treatment. After receiving first-aid, he was referred to a hospital in Srinagar for advanced medical care. His condition is stated to be stable.
Strong winds also disrupted normal life in several parts of north Kashmir, uprooting multiple trees and causing damage to rooftops and boundary walls. The sudden weather disturbance also briefly affected traffic movement and daily activities in the area, officials added.
