Madras High Court to Hear Petition Seeking Ban on Actor Vijay's TVK Rallies Following Deadly Stampede

The Madras High Court is scheduled to hear a petition today from a victim of the recent stampede at TVK chief Vijay's political rally. The petitioner is requesting a ban on TVK's public gatherings until authorities complete their investigation into the tragic incident that claimed 40 lives and injured nearly 100 people in Karur.

Senthilkannan, who sustained injuries during the stampede, has characterized the incident as "not a mere accident but the direct result of reckless planning, gross mismanagement, and complete disregard for public safety." His petition urges the court to prevent Tamil Nadu police from authorizing any further TVK rallies, arguing that the Constitutional Right to Life (Article 21) should take precedence over the Right to Assembly when public safety is compromised.

The petition references the FIR filed at Karur Town police station regarding the tragedy, which includes charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Senthilkannan emphasizes that responsibility must be determined before authorities grant any future permissions for similar events.

The deadly incident occurred at Saturday's rally in Veluswamypuram, Karur, when approximately 27,000 attendees surged forward following Vijay's delayed appearance. Among the 40 fatalities were women and children. G Venkataraman, Tamil Nadu's Director General of Police, has acknowledged that only 500 police personnel were deployed despite the unexpectedly massive crowd.

The incident has ignited political controversy, with Chief Minister MK Stalin ordering a judicial investigation led by Justice Aruna Jagadeesan and announcing relief measures. State police have filed charges against senior TVK leaders, including the party's general secretary N Anand.

TVK plans to petition the Madras High Court for an independent investigation, claiming to possess evidence suggesting a criminal conspiracy behind the stampede.