Historic tree set ablaze in Thakandhoo island

Some individuals have torched a sea trumpet tree from the ancient times believed to have been planted in Haa Alif Thakandhoo by Ali Thakurufaan from Utheemu island of the same atoll.

Thakandhoo island council chief Ahmed Niyaz said that the tree was set ablaze in the early hours of Saturday evening.

The chief suspects that the act was carried out intentionally and that they are yet to find out who was behind this.

This particular tree, now scorched and leafless, is also listed in the record of ancient monuments published by the Department of Heritage.

Residents of the island had worked together to extinguish the fire when they had detected it.

However, the council had decided to cut down the tree afterwards, as it posed the threat of collapsing.

The tree had evidently contained a flag of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) a while back. The pole it was hoisted on was perched atop the tree at the time of the fire.

History has it that the tree is over 400 years old with some estimating that the tree was there at the time the Portugese had invaded the country.

Haa Alif Thakandhoo has a heroic connection to the history of the Maldives. Likewise, Ali Thakurufaan was slaughtered in the island. His tomb is still existent, a fair distance from where he planted the tree in the westward coast of the island.