Tragic Stampede at Tamil Nadu Political Rally Leaves 39 Dead: Investigating the TVK Event Disaster

A devastating stampede occurred at Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader Vijay's political rally in Karur district, Tamil Nadu, resulting in 39 fatalities, including nine children and 17 women, with an additional 46 people injured.

According to police sources who spoke with NDTV, the stampede was triggered when some attendees fainted in an area where large crowds had pushed forward. A senior police official estimated approximately 30,000 people had gathered at the venue where Vijay was scheduled to address supporters after his earlier rally in Namakkal.

The situation worsened as Vijay's arrival was delayed by more than seven hours, causing the crowd to swell beyond control. Video footage showed Vijay attempting to help distressed attendees by tossing water bottles into the crowd after people began suffering from heat and overcrowding.

DMK leader V Senthil Balaji shared emergency helpline numbers from the Karur district collector's office for those seeking information about affected individuals.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has requested a report from the Tamil Nadu government regarding the incident.

During a 1 AM press conference, acting Tamil Nadu DGP G Venkatraman explained that Vijay's party had initially requested permission to hold the rally at Karur lighthouse roundana. "Considering the huge crowds from the last two rallies, we didn't give permission in that area which was narrower than this. They said 10,000 people would come, but more than 27,000 arrived," the senior officer stated.

The DGP further noted, "Permission was requested for between 10 AM and 3 PM, and it was announced Vijay would reach there by 12:30 PM. Crowds started gathering from 11 AM, but he only reached the venue at 7:40 PM. The crowd did not get water or food. We are not blaming anyone, but stating the facts."

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, who traveled to Karur following the tragedy, expressed shock on social media and ordered an investigation headed by retired high court judge Justice Aruna Jagadeesan. He announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 10 lakh to families of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh for those requiring intensive hospital treatment.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the incident as "deeply saddening" and extended his condolences to the affected families.

After the tragedy, Vijay flew from Trichy to Chennai, initially avoiding media comment before finally addressing the incident upon arriving in the state capital, saying, "My heart is shattered, writhing in pain."

Police have filed a case against Muthiyazhagan, the TVK's Karur district secretary who helped organize the rally.

This incident follows previous concerns about crowd management at Vijay's events. His debut rally in Trichy earlier in the month created massive traffic disruptions as crowds escorted his convoy. Police had subsequently imposed 23 safety conditions for TVK rallies, including restrictions on convoy participation and recommendations for vulnerable individuals to follow events online.

The Madras High Court, while hearing TVK's petition against these restrictions, had previously questioned whether Vijay was adequately controlling his supporters. Justice N Sathish Kumar had specifically warned about potential safety issues following the chaotic scenes at the Tiruchi rally.

The Karur tragedy raises significant questions about TVK's responsibility and police preparedness. Concerns include whether Vijay's delayed arrival contributed to the dangerous crowd buildup and if adequate safety measures were implemented given warning signs from previous rallies.