Actor Vijay to Meet Families of Karur Stampede Victims in Private Mamallapuram Gathering

Chennai:

Actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) Chief Vijay has scheduled a meeting with the families of those who perished in the Karur stampede. The gathering will take place on Monday morning at a private hotel in Mamallapuram.

Party sources have confirmed that special buses arranged by TVK are transporting affected families from Karur and several other districts to the meeting venue.

"The meeting is expected to commence around 7:30 am. Currently, it's planned as a private event with media access unlikely. Vijay intends to meet individually with each of the bereaved families," a member of the party's communications team informed NDTV.

A senior police officer confirmed to NDTV: "It's an indoor programme."

Although Vijay had initially announced plans to visit Karur personally, logistical challenges necessitated the change in venue, according to party sources.

Prior to Diwali, TVK transferred Rs 20 lakh as financial assistance to the families of those who died in the tragic stampede that occurred during the party's welfare rally in Karur.

The deadly incident claimed forty-one lives, including women and children, when a massive crowd surge occurred.

Recently, the Supreme Court ordered a CBI investigation into the tragedy, which will be monitored by a retired Supreme Court judge. This decision supersedes the earlier SIT probe that had been ordered by the Madras High Court.

Following this devastating incident, Vijay suspended his weekend district-wide campaign across Tamil Nadu that had been part of preparations for the 2026 Assembly elections.

The Tamil Nadu government and police have attributed responsibility for the tragedy to TVK, claiming that Vijay arrived nearly seven hours later than scheduled, which caused restlessness among the waiting crowds.

Officials also alleged that his team disregarded police advice to stop 50 metres before the designated venue to prevent a crowd surge.

TVK has firmly denied any wrongdoing, instead blaming the incident on police mismanagement of traffic and suggesting a conspiracy by the ruling DMK - an allegation that the DMK has vehemently rejected.

Meanwhile, key opposition parties - the AIADMK and its ally BJP - are attempting to form an alliance with TVK against the ruling DMK.

Previously, Vijay, who had adopted a softer stance toward the AIADMK, had characterized the DMK as his political enemy and the BJP as his ideological opponent.