GG News Bureau
Karur, 28th Sept: A political rally of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief and actor Vijay turned tragic in Karur district on Saturday, as a stampede killed 39 people, including nine children and 17 women, and left 46 others injured, officials confirmed.
Police said a sudden surge in the crowd caused several to faint, triggering chaos. An estimated 30,000 people had packed the venue, though organisers had sought permission for just 10,000.
Vijay, delayed by over seven hours after an earlier rally in Namakkal, arrived around 7:40 p.m. Videos show him halting his speech and throwing water bottles to ease the heat and overcrowding.
Tamil Nadu DGP G. Venkatraman said the rally was allowed only at a wider ground after a narrower site was denied, citing heavy turnout at Vijay’s previous events. “The crowd did not get water or food. We are not blaming anyone, but stating the facts,” he said.
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin expressed shock, announcing a ₹10 lakh ex-gratia for the families of the dead and ₹1 lakh for the critically injured. He has ordered a probe led by retired High Court judge Justice Aruna Jagadeesan.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the incident “deeply saddening” and conveyed condolences to the bereaved families.
Vijay, who flew to Chennai immediately after the rally, said, “My heart is shattered, writhing in pain,” in his first statement hours later.
Police have filed a case against Muthiyazhagan, TVK’s Karur district secretary, for alleged lapses in organising the event. The tragedy follows repeated warnings from courts and police after unruly crowds at Vijay’s earlier rallies, including his debut event in Tiruchi that caused a six-hour traffic jam.
The Madras High Court had recently cautioned that if a mishap occurred, Vijay, as party president, would bear responsibility. Saturday’s disaster has renewed scrutiny over both TVK’s accountability and police preparedness, amid questions over the delay in Vijay’s arrival and crowd control measures.
