As you may have heard this morning, tragedy struck in Vadodara late on Monday night during promotions for Raees. The cast and crew boarded a train from Mumbai to Delhi along with a select few journalists, with the intention that they would meet and greet fans along the way. Fans gathered at each stop to catch a glimpse of Shah Rukh Khan, but unfortunately, things took a bad turn in Vadodara. Reportedly, a politician named Farid Khan got caught in the mad rush at the station, and collapsed due to suffocation. He was a heart patient, and suffered a cardiac arrest. He was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
The deceased, we’ve learned, was the uncle of one of the journalists on board the train. The journalist in question was travelling with her mother (his sister-in-law), and it seems like Farid Khan came to see and pick up a package from both of them. He also apparently brought along his kids, since they are fans of Shah Rukh Khan and wanted to see him.
Unfortunately, the journalist and her mother were very close to him, and broke down upon hearing the news. The two got off at Ratlam and we hear Shah Rukh Khan organised for them to be taken to Baroda. He sent his team along with them to ensure that they were taken care of. The actor also flew the immediate family from Mumbai to Baroda for the funeral, which took place this morning.
As of now, the Raees team hasn’t commented on the incident, but the activities that were to take place on the train last night were cancelled. The Delhi events, too, are likely to be cancelled.
It’s an incredibly sad situation all around, and we can’t imagine how the family is feeling right now. Here’s hoping they find strength in this difficult time.