Bekal Fest: People seek treatment after chaos at Vedan’s music event

Kozhikode: Several people were hospitalized on Monday night after they felt discomfort and unease in the crowd surge and subsequent rush during rapper Vedan's performance at Bekal International Beach Festival in Kasaragod.The programme, organized at a venue near Bekal Park, was scheduled to begin at 8pm but started nearly 90 minutes later. By then, the crowd had grown and the rush to get close to the stage left many struggling to breathe and feeling uneasy.Bekal SHO said two people were shifted to a hospital. Sources said the condition of all those who sought medical treatment was stable.Meanwhile, a man from Koyilandy, who came to watch the rapper's show, was killed after being hit by a train while crossing the railway track near the programme venue. He was rushed to a private hospital in Kasaragod but could not be saved.Bekal International Beach Festival is being held from Dec 20 to 31. The event is jointly organized by Bekal Resorts Development Corporation (BRDC) and tourism department, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of BRDC.