Two senior leaders from actor-turned-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party face 14 days in judicial custody over a deadly stampede at a rally in Karur, Tamil Nadu. The incident on September 27 killed 41 people, including women and children, and injured nearly 60 others. Authorities blame poor crowd control and safety lapses for the tragedy.
Karur police arrested TVK’s Karur West District Secretary V.P. Mathiyalagan and Karur Central District Secretary Kasi Pounraj. A judge in Karur District Criminal Court ordered them held until October 14. The First Information Report names them for failing to manage the massive crowd at the Velusamypuram rally.
TVK state general secretary Bussy Anand and deputy general secretary Nirmal Kumar also face charges, but police haven’t caught them yet. The group stands accused under India’s Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita law, including Section 105 for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, Section 110 for attempting it, Section 125 for endangering lives, and Section 223 for disobeying orders.
Investigators point to a huge turnout that swelled way past the 10,000 people organizers expected. Narrow entry points and weak barricades sparked the chaotic surge, turning a supporter event into a nightmare.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin rushed to Karur right after the stampede, calling it an “unprecedented and heartbreaking” disaster. He comforted grieving families and survivors, promised state aid for victims, and vowed a thorough probe with “no lapses spared.” The government tapped retired judge Aruna Jagadeesan to lead a one-member inquiry commission into the Karur stampede.
From the central government, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman visited on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s behalf. She announced Rs 2 lakh each from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. “The Centre shares the deep grief of Tamil Nadu’s people,” she said, urging steps to avoid future rally tragedies.
Vijay, TVK’s founder, shared a video message expressing his deep pain over the losses. He stayed away initially to prevent more unrest but pledged to meet the families soon. “You may do anything to me, but not my party colleagues,” he added, showing his loyalty amid the backlash.
Political reactions poured in. BJP MP Hema Malini, heading an NDA fact-finding team, said a bigger, safer venue could have stopped the Karur rally stampede. AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami pointed to “organizational failure” as the root cause. Congress leader K.C. Venugopal called the event “beyond imagination” and pushed for tougher safety rules at large public gatherings across India.
As the investigation unfolds, questions linger about crowd management at political rallies in Tamil Nadu and how to prevent such heartbreaking stampedes.
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