Karur Stampede Tragedy: Madras High Court Cancels Urgent Hearing as Death Toll Rises to 40

The death toll from the devastating stampede has risen to 40, according to police reports on Sunday.

Chennai: The Madras High Court has called off an emergency hearing that was scheduled for 4:30 p.m. on Sunday regarding a petition connected to the fatal stampede at Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) rally in Karur, Tamil Nadu, organized by actor-politician Vijay.

Justice N. Senthilkumar, sitting on a vacation bench, had initially agreed to hear the petition filed by N. Senthilkannan from Karur district.

After examining the documentation, however, the court determined that the submission was not a new case but rather an impleading petition in an ongoing matter about police authorizations for TVK public gatherings, and consequently decided to cancel the urgent listing.

Police confirmed on Sunday that the death count from the tragic incident has increased to 40.

The stampede occurred Saturday evening at Velusamypuram, where a massive crowd had assembled to hear Vijay speak during his statewide political campaign tour.

The disaster was triggered by overcrowding and confusion as the event concluded, with attendees frantically trying to exit the venue.

Children accounted for nine of the fatalities, while dozens more remain in hospitals, with some in critical condition.

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin traveled to Karur in the early morning hours and visited the Government Medical College Hospital to meet with survivors and bereaved families.

Describing the tragedy as "unprecedented and heartbreaking," Stalin announced compensation of Rs 10 lakh for each affected family and Rs 1 lakh for the injured.

The Chief Minister assured that an investigation by a retired High Court judge would "bring clarity on the circumstances and ensure such tragedies do not recur."

AIADMK General Secretary and Opposition Leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami, who also visited Karur, criticized the state administration and police for failing to implement proper safety measures.

"This was an avoidable tragedy. Crowd control measures and basic amenities were clearly inadequate despite prior knowledge of the massive turnout," he stated, calling for accountability and stricter regulations for political gatherings.

Vijay, who departed Karur shortly after the event, expressed profound sorrow in a social media statement, describing the incident as "an irreparable loss" and acknowledging that "no words can comfort the families." He announced financial assistance of Rs 20 lakh for each bereaved family and Rs 2 lakh for the injured, describing it as "his duty as one who belongs to you."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed his condolences and announced Rs 2 lakh compensation from the PM's National Relief Fund for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for those injured. The state government has ordered a comprehensive investigation into the stampede, while the tragedy has sparked discussions about crowd safety and political event management throughout Tamil Nadu.