‘Fire eater’ dies after collapsing during act at event attended by MP CM

Chhatarpur: A stuntman, required to keep diesel in his mouth and spit it out at a lit torch to create a burst of flame and the illusion he was eating fire, collapsed during the act at an event organised by a BJP leader in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhatarpur district and died soon after.

The incident occurred in Naugaon on Saturday, BJP leader Manik Chourasia said, adding that he had invited Kabir Singh and his team to perform at the event attended by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

”Kabir Singh complained of pain in his chest and was immediately taken to the Naugaon hospital, where doctors said it was a case of consumption of flammable substance,” Chourasia told PTI. Doctors at Naugaon referred the 45-year-old to a hospital in Chhatarpur, about 20 km away, but he died before reaching there, he said.

Aditya Katiyar, an associate of the deceased, said a team of nine people, including Singh, was called from Kanpur by Chourasia for the event.

As part of the fire stunt, Singh had to keep some diesel in his mouth to later spit it out at a lit torch to create a burst of flame. However, he soon began feeling uneasy and was taken to Naugaon hospital, he said.

The team was later informed that he died, Katiyar added.

Chourasia, who is the BJP’s district working committee member, said that he had called this event management company from Kanpur for the show.

He said Singh had performed stunts at four events hosted by him in the past.

Singh’s post-mortem has been conducted and his body is being taken to Kanpur, Chourasia said.

Sub Divisional Officer of Police Chanchlesh Markam said no case has been registered so far in connection with the incident.

Dr Manoj Choudhary, who conducted the post-mortem procedure, said the exact reason behind Singh’s death will be known once the report comes out.

District Congress working president Anish Khan said that it was unfortunate that a man lost his life while performing a stunt to draw people for the chief minister’s programme.

Action should be taken against those responsible for his death, he demanded.