Kalpetta: The furious intervention of a nature-lover who threatened to end his life saved a tree at least for now on the government hospital premises here on Friday. Abdul Basheer alias Basheer Anand John threatened to jump down from the tree, which was facing the axe, if the authorities did not stop cutting it, keeping the police and fire force on tenterhooks for hours.

The series of incidents started around 10 a.m. when the labourers started felling the branches of trees in the compound of the government hospital, Kalpetta. Abdul Basheer, who reached the spot, questioned the move and climbed on the tree asking the hospital authorities to stop the process. The news spread like wildfire attracting hundreds to the spot. When the people asked him to come down, Basheer told them that he was doing the act for their children and the earth.

Though there was an attempt to forcibly bring him down by the Fire and Rescue personnel, he climbed further to the top. Meanwhile, a police team headed by sub- inspector K. Santhosh also came to control the crowd. Basheer demanded the presence of local MLA C.K. Saseendran at the spot to assure him that the tree will not be cut. He also wanted an advisory committee of nature lovers to be formed on the issue. Meanwhile, a section of the public turned against him.

However, he climbed down after Mr Saseendran contacted him over phone and assured him not to cut the tree till a discussion was held between nature lovers and the authorities in his presence. Finally, the police took him to the police station and registered a case against him for threatening public life. He was later released on bail.