VietNamNet Bridge – Police yesterday, Nov 4, discovered a century-old bohdi tree in Ha Noi's Tay Ho District after it had been illegally uprooted four days previously from the city centre.

A century-old bohdi tree illegally uprooted from December 19 Street was found in Ha Noi's Tay Ho District yesterday. — VNS File Photo
The tree, well known among local residents as a site to commemorate people who died in the 1945 famine and war martyrs, was located on December 19 Street which runs between Ly Thuong Kiet and Hai Ba Trung streets.

Police began investigations into the felling after locals claimed they had seen workers from the Capital 2 Co Ltd construction company, working on the nearby December 19 Plaza project, remove the uprooted tree.

Nguyen Anh Cuong, director of the company, the project's investor, denied his workers had damaged the tree.

Nguyen Van Quynh, owner of the garden where the tree was found, said that he had been instructed by city police to keep it.

However, deputy director of the Park and Green Tree Company Nguyen Xuan Hung said the tree had deliberately been pulled down, as it was in far too good health to have fallen down by itself.

"We checked all of the city's trees two months ago, and the inspection showed that the tree was absolutely healthy," he added.

Nguyen Huu Hop, head of the police team, said they would continue investigating the incident.

According to Centre of Communication and the Environment, Ha Noi has 725 centuries-old trees.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News