Political slugfest starts over arrangements at KK venue

Kolkata, June 1:  Hours after the sudden demise of popular playback singer Krishnakumar Kunnath (KK) after his performance at Nazrul Manch in South Kolkata on late Tuesday evening, political mudslinging has started over the possible mismanagement in crowd-control at the venue. KK was performing at a function organized by the student's union of Kolkata-based Gurudas College.

Initially, many suspected that KK's feeling of uneasiness was due to the malfunctioning air-conditioning machines at Nazrul Manch. However, police sources confirmed that while the air- conditioning machines were working normally, their effects were reduced to a great extent following the over-the-capacity crowding at the venue.

"While the capacity of the venue is around 2,700 to a maximum of 3,000, on Thursday evening around 6,000 spectators flocked in at the venue, with many watching the shows either sitting on the staircases or standing at the wings of the venue. This is quite common in case of college feats. Probably, that over-crowding could have created some suffocation. But it cannot be definitely said that suffocation was the reason for KK's death since a report on any second person even falling sick has not come as yet," said a Kolkata Police official on strict condition of anonymity.

However, that has not stopped political mudslinging. West Bengal Congress president and veteran MP, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has demanded a thorough enquiry in the unfortunate event. "All said and done, I do demand a thorough inquiry behind the sad demise of #KK by a competent authority. The prevailing ambience of the Najrul Manch, during his performance reveals many unsavoury questions including critical mismanagement of the said platform which might have triggered his death," Chowdhury said in a Twitter message on Wednesday morning.

BJP's national general secretary, Dr Anupam Hazra said in his Twitter message that the organizers of the show should be arrested for pushing a talented singer to death by confinement in a suffocated room. "But I know that this will not happen since the state is West Bengal," Hazra said.

However, youth Trinamool Congress leader, Debangshu Bhattacharya said that there is no need to politicize the issue since no one can predict when the cardiac attack might happen.