KK death: Nazrul Mancha employee says venue was overcrowded, bouncers sprayed foam to disperse crowd

Popular playback singer KK died on Tuesday night just after performing in Kolkata. As per reports, the singer felt unwell after his performance at Nazrul Mancha. He was taken to the CMRI hospital in South Kolkata nearby where he was pronounced dead upon arrival. However, many fans have shared pictures and videos from the concert alleging that the AC wasn’t working and that the singer was sweating profusely. The Kolkata Police are investigating the death and a case of ‘unnatural death’ has been registered. Also read: Videos show KK ‘sweating badly’ at concert, fans say: ‘AC wasn’t working’

Now, a staff member of the Nazrul Mancha Auditorium in Kolkata, who was present during the live concert, has told news agency ANI that the venue was overcrowded and bouncers had to spray foam at one point to disperse the crowd. “There was very much a huge crowd. People were jumping over the barricade and gate. However, nothing happened inside the auditorium. He (KK) was feeling unwell. He took a break and performed again,” he said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party West Bengal spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya has called for an impartial investigation into KK’s death, alleging the administration failed to ensure proper arrangements. “There should be an impartial investigation into the incident as there was a complete lapse on the part of the administration to ensure proper security arrangements. Around 7,000 people were reportedly present at the venue of the programme where the seating capacity was around 3,000 people. He was mobbed there, which means security arrangements were not in place for a VIP,” he said.

KK, full name Krishnakumar Kunnath, was born in Delhi in 1968, and rose to fame with the song Tadap Tadap Ke from the 1999 film Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. The same year, he also released his successful album Pal. Over the years, the singer carved a niche for himself singing various love songs. He was also known for his energetic stage performances. Also read: KK death news live updates: Concert staff says singer felt unwell

The singer’s death sparked tributes from across the spectrum in the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and actors like Akshay Kumar, Ranveer Singh and R Madhavan expressed their grief on social media. Many of KK’s colleagues from the music fraternity like Sonu Nigam, Shaan, Harshdeep Kaur, and Vishal Dadlani shared their memories with him.

(With ANI inputs)