38 Dead in Tragic Stampede at Actor Vijay's Political Rally in Tamil Nadu's Karur

"My heart is shattered; I am writhing in unbearable, indescribable pain and sorrow," Vijay wrote on X.

In his first reaction hours after the stampede at his rally in which at least 38 people were killed, actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) President Vijay has said his heart is "shattered" and he is "writhing" in pain.

At least 38 people, including 10 children and 17 women, were killed after a stampede broke out at the actor-politician's rally in Tamil Nadu's Karur, where nearly 30,000 supporters and fans had gathered to catch a glimpse of him on Saturday evening.

Vijay, who departed from Karur and was later observed at Chennai airport making no comments, posted on X several hours after news of the stampede began emerging.

"My heart is shattered; I am writhing in unbearable, indescribable pain and sorrow that words cannot express," he wrote in Tamil.

"I extend my deepest condolences and sympathies to the families of my dear brothers and sisters who lost their lives in Karur. I pray for the swift recovery of those receiving treatment in the hospital," he added.

The TVK chief was expected to arrive in Karur around noon but was delayed by approximately six hours. During this time, the crowd had significantly increased, leaving barely any space on the road even for his campaign bus.

"This is a deliberate ploy by the organizers of this event. Vijay made it clear that it was supposed to start at a specific time, but it didn't. They waited for almost six hours. They were all there. Why did they do this? They did this to mobilize crowds. This is a cheap ploy by the organizers and there was criminal negligence," DMK Spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai told NDTV.

"Whoever is responsible has to be arrested. And Mr. Vijay is culpable. He cannot escape culpability," he emphasized.

In a statement, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the families of those killed and said a one-member commission of inquiry, headed by retired High Court Justice Aruna Jagadeesan, will be formed to investigate the stampede.

"The loss of these precious lives has shaken the hearts of us all. I express my deepest condolences and sympathies to the families who have suffered this irreparable loss. I have directed that the best medical treatment be provided to all those admitted to hospitals. I will be traveling to Karur tonight to meet the families of the deceased, offer my condolences, and visit those receiving treatment in hospitals," he said.