Supreme Court to Hear Plea for CBI Investigation into Fatal Karur Stampede Incident

New Delhi:

The Supreme Court has scheduled an urgent hearing on October 10 for a petition challenging the Madras High Court's decision that denied a CBI investigation into the Karur stampede incident. This tragic event at actor-politician Vijay's TVK rally resulted in 41 fatalities and over 100 injuries.

This catastrophe, considered one of Tamil Nadu's most severe crowd management failures in recent memory, has sparked nationwide concern and raised critical questions about safety measures at political gatherings.

Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R. Gavai confirmed the listing of BJP leader Uma Anandan's petition requesting a Central Bureau of Investigation probe after the matter was brought forward for immediate consideration.

Previously, the Madras High Court established a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by IPS officer Asra Garg to examine the incident, while rejecting further action on a petition demanding a CBI inquiry.

During proceedings on October 3, Justices M. Dhandapani and M. Jothiraman suggested implementing rigorous Standard Operating Procedures for political rallies, following the Tamil Nadu government's proposal to develop guidelines for such events, including prohibiting gatherings near highways.

The Madras High Court criticized TVK leadership and rally organizers for failing to assist the public and children during the emergency, and for not accepting responsibility for the tragedy.

"While the President, Prime Minister, Chief Minister, and all political parties expressed grief and participated in rescue operations after this incident, the event organizers and party members completely abandoned their responsibilities," the court observed.

The Madras High Court has instructed the SIT to conduct a fair and timely investigation with regular progress updates.

The investigation panel has commenced collecting testimonies from eyewitnesses, local residents, and officials involved in organizing the event. Legal experts suggest that the SIT's conclusions will be crucial in determining accountability and preventing similar tragedies in the future.