In the aftermath of a devastating stampede that claimed 39 lives and injured over 50 individuals at a campaign rally in Karur, Tamil Nadu, organized by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) led by actor-politician Vijay, police have filed FIRs against his top aides. Anand, the party’s general secretary, and Nirmal Kumar, the joint general secretary of TVK, are now facing legal proceedings initiated by the Karur District Police.
ADGP (Law and Order) S Davidson Devasirvatham reported the registration of a case and the commencement of a preliminary investigation into the incident. The stampede occurred when the rally, which drew a significantly larger crowd than anticipated, became unmanageable. Vijay was compelled to cut short his address amid the chaos. The deceased included 16 women and 10 children.
Organizers had estimated an attendance of around 10,000 people, but the actual turnout was approximately three times higher. According to DGP G Venkatraman, previous TVK rallies had experienced smaller attendance numbers, making the large crowd size at this event a critical factor.
The crowd’s extended wait, without adequate food or water, was compounded by Vijay’s late arrival. The gathering was permitted between 3 pm and 10 pm, but people began arriving as early as 11 am. By 7:40 pm, when Vijay reached the venue, many attendees had already waited for hours. Vijay acknowledged the police’s actions but stressed the need for party members to take responsibility for crowd control. A formal inquiry will be conducted to determine the cause, overseen by a one-person commission. A large number of police officers were present at the event.
Chief Minister MK Stalin expressed deep sorrow, stating that the number of deaths at the political event was unprecedented. He promptly dispatched officials to assist and announced compensation for the victims’ families and the injured. An inquiry commission, headed by a retired High Court judge, has been formed to investigate the tragic incident further.