Rain accompanied by storm on Tuesday afternoon proved fatal for at least three persons travelling in a car which was crushed by a falling tree in Tanda forest area in Haldwani.
According to the police, a resident of Rampur in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, Akshat Agrawal, and his family members were travelling in two separate cars to Nainital for leisure. His wife Pallavi Agrawal and three-year old son Abhi were travelling in one car while he himself travelled in another car with the rest of his family members.
Driving past Rudrapur, the two cars were in the Tanda jungle area when strong winds brought down a large eucalyptus tree which came crashing down on the Innova car in which Pallavi and Abhi were travelling.
Along with the driver, the mother-son duo died on the spot crushed by the heavy tree while Akshat and his father also sustained injury.
Police from Rudrapur and Haldwani reached the site on being informed and used saws and a mechanical excavator to clear the tree off the wrecked car after about one hour of toil. The three bodies tangled in the wreck were extracted and sent for post mortem examination.
Apart from this fatal incident, more than half a dozen persons were reportedly injured in incidents of trees felled by strong winds.