Following the tragic stampede at a Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) rally in Karur, Tamil Nadu, led by Vijay, which resulted in 39 fatalities and over 50 injuries, the police have taken action by filing FIRs against the actor-politician’s key associates. The Karur District Police have targeted Anand, the party’s general secretary, and Nirmal Kumar, the joint general secretary of TVK, in separate legal proceedings.
ADGP (Law and Order) S Davidson Devasirvatham confirmed the filing of a case and the initiation of a preliminary investigation into the incident. The stampede ensued as the rally, which had an unexpectedly large turnout, became uncontrollable, forcing Vijay to pause his speech. Among those who died were 16 women and 10 children.
Organizers had estimated an attendance of approximately 10,000 individuals, but nearly three times that number attended. Director General of Police (DGP) G Venkatraman indicated that past TVK rallies had drawn fewer attendees, making the high attendance a significant issue.
Attendees had waited for extended periods without access to sufficient food and water, a situation intensified by Vijay’s delayed arrival. The meeting was scheduled from 3 pm to 10 pm, but the crowd began gathering as early as 11 am. By 7:40 pm, when Vijay arrived, many attendees had already been waiting for hours. Vijay commended the police for their service and emphasized the need for party cadres to take responsibility for crowd management. The underlying causes of the tragedy will be revealed through a dedicated inquiry, and a one-person commission has been established to oversee it. The event had a substantial police presence.
Chief Minister MK Stalin expressed profound sorrow, noting that the scale of the loss of life was unprecedented in the state’s history at a political event. He immediately directed officials to offer assistance, including compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the families of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh to the injured. An inquiry commission, led by a retired High Court judge, has been established.