Karur Stampede Tragedy: 41 Dead at Actor Vijay's TVK Rally Amid Political Controversy and Investigation

A 'deliberate display of political power' by actor and TVK chief Vijay led to the death of 41 people at the stampede in Tamil Nadu's Karur Sunday evening, the police said in a FIR accessed by NDTV.

Chennai:

The FIR documented that the rally was scheduled to commence at 9 am, with a substantial crowd having already assembled by 11 am. According to police reports, while Vijay was expected to address attendees at noon, he arrived only at 7 pm - a four-hour delay beyond the communicated time - allegedly to build 'unnecessary expectations' among his supporters.

Police stated that the bus carrying Vijay made multiple unscheduled stops, effectively creating an unauthorized roadshow. TVK leaders, including Vijay and senior figure N 'Bussy' Anand, a former Puducherry MLA, reportedly disregarded warnings about inadequate provisions of food, water, and facilities for the assembled crowd.

The campaign vehicle's frequent, unplanned halts also caused significant traffic disruptions, according to authorities.

The FIR detailed one of Sunday evening's tragic incidents, noting that TVK workers breached police barriers - established to manage crowd movement and prevent incidents like the stampede - and climbed onto a tin roof of a shed, presumably to see the actor. Unfortunately, the roof collapsed, resulting in fatalities among these TVK workers.

Law enforcement had been notified to expect approximately 10,000 attendees, but the actual turnout exceeded 25,000 people.

Political Spat Over Karur Stampede

The incident has ignited a political confrontation between the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, which plans to make its electoral debut in next year's Assembly election.

The TVK has attributed the stampede to a 'conspiracy' allegedly orchestrated by the DMK. The party's legal representative informed NDTV that they had filed a petition requesting the Madras High Court to either establish a special investigative team or transfer the case to the CBI.

"There was a conspiracy, a criminal conspiracy in the incident at Karur..." the lawyer, Arivazhagan, asserted, dismissing the DMK's allegations that TVK violated crowd safety protocols.

Among the 41 fatalities in the Karur stampede were women and children.

"We didn't violate conditions imposed by the police," the lawyer stated, highlighting that rallies in Madurai, Trichy, Ariyalur, Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam, and Namakkal had proceeded without incident.

The DMK has refrained from addressing the conspiracy allegations directly. Dr Syed Hafeezullah, party spokesperson, told NDTV, "We don't want to politicise this. The law will take its course. Those who level such allegations should first introspect how their party leadership behaved."

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin appealed for peace and calm, cautioning people against spreading rumors on social media regarding the Karur tragedy and urging responsible behavior.

TVK Vs Tamil Nadu Police

Vijay's TVK has also criticized police handling of the stampede. Party leader Aadhav Arjun submitted a petition to the Madras High Court, reiterating allegations of a 'political conspiracy by the DMK' and demanding a CBI investigation.

He claimed that electricity was cut during Vijay's speech, creating panic that was exploited by "anti-social elements" who allegedly threw stones. His petition further alleged that ambulances were driven into the crowd and police conducted a lathi charge, triggering chaos.

The Electricity Department responded that power supply remained uninterrupted, but generators and focus lights arranged by TVK were disrupted as the crowd surged.

Police officials rejected claims of inadequate crowd management, stating that the Karur event had been classified as high-risk with 500 personnel deployed at a ratio of one officer per 50 people, anticipating 25,000 attendees. Ultimately, nearly 27,000 people participated.

Davidson Devasirvatham, Additional Director-General of Police (Law and Order), noted that a recent AIADMK rally in Karur led by Edappadi Palaniswami proceeded without incident despite having only 137 personnel present, attributing this to an "orderly crowd."

However, he acknowledged Sunday's chaotic conditions, stating: "...we couldn't even move the injured through the crowd. Even Vijay himself could not be taken out."

Financial Compensation

The deceased include 18 women and 10 children. Families of the 41 victims will receive financial compensation: Rs 10 lakh each from the state government, Rs 20 lakh each from the TVK, and Rs 2 lakh per family from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, which is also preparing for next year's election.