Leaning pine tree a security threat to Farooq, says staff

Srinagar: A pine tree, which is leaning precariously onto the house where former chief minister of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir Farooq Abdullah has been detained, is posing a threat to his safety and security.

Abdullah, an MP from Srinagar, was placed under detention in his own house in the wee hours of August 5, when the Centre revoked special status of J&K. Earlier this month, the government extended his detention for another three months.

The security staff of three-time chief minister, Abdullah, who is currently detained under the Public Safety Act, has written to the forest department urging them to cut the pine tree on Gupkar Road in Srinagar, which was partially damaged due to heavy snowfall on November 7. Due to early snowfall in November, many trees in Kashmir fell, disrupting electricity lines and damaging several properties.


“The tree was damaged due to snowfall and is leaning towards the house of Farooq Abdullah, which is posing a threat to the structure and persons living inside,” a senior government official privy to the request told ET.

The forest department is now following the case legally and has written to the revenue department to verify the title of the land on which Abdullah has built his residence on Gupkar Road.

“The forest department has written to the revenue department to ascertain who originally owns the land so that nobody can make any claims against the forest department if they cut the tree or even prune it,” said another senior government official.