Kulgam, Sep 10: A 46-year-old man died after falling from a walnut tree while harvesting the crop in Jaibal Lammer area of Kulgam district, officials said on Thursday.
The deceased was identified as Mukhtar Ahmad Najar, son of Ghulam Nabi Najar, a resident of Jaibal Lammer.
An official said Najar sustained serious injuries after falling from the tree and was shifted to a hospital for treatment. He later succumbed to his injuries.
The incident is the sixth reported death from falls from walnut trees in Kashmir in recent weeks, as harvesting activity has picked up across the Valley.
Read more: 4 die after falling from walnut trees as harvesting season begins
Walnut harvesting remains a high-risk activity, with workers commonly climbing tall trees and using long bamboo or wooden sticks to bring down the crop.
A 2025 study on occupational risks in Kashmir’s walnut harvesting industry found falls from heights to be the major hazard faced by workers. The study examined 150 walnut labourers in Kupwara and Ganderbal and hospital records of 95 workers treated at SKIMS Soura.
It documented serious injuries, including spinal trauma, head injuries and damage to internal organs, and recommended safety kits, worker training, mechanical harvesting equipment, health insurance and compensation for workers injured or killed during harvesting.
Farmers have also called for greater promotion of shorter hybrid walnut varieties, which could reduce the need for workers to climb tall trees during harvesting.
