Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared his deep sorrow on Saturday over a tragic stampede at a political rally in Tamil Nadu’s Karur district. The incident, which unfolded during actor-turned-politician Vijay’s speech for his Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) party, claimed at least 36 lives and injured around 58 people, leaving the community heartbroken.
The chaos erupted in a massive, packed crowd eager to hear Vijay speak. Eyewitnesses described how panic spread quickly when a group surged forward, causing people to faint and fall in the crush. Volunteers and police scrambled to help, but ambulances faced delays getting to the scene amid the frenzy.
Many of the injured, including three children now in intensive care, are receiving treatment at Karur Government Medical College Hospital. Local officials called the atmosphere there “war-like” as medical teams worked around the clock.
Vijay, looking shaken, stopped his address right away. He urged police and volunteers to assist after reports of a missing child in the mayhem, highlighting the human toll of the Tamil Nadu rally tragedy.
Modi took to social media to offer his condolences, saying, “My thoughts are with the families who have lost their loved ones. Wishing strength to them in this difficult time and praying for a swift recovery to all those injured.” His words underscore the national grief over the Karur stampede.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin echoed the sadness and quickly ordered relief and rescue efforts. He sent senior ministers Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi and Ma Subramanian to Karur to support victims’ families and manage medical care. Additional Director General of Police Davidson Devasirvatham also arrived on site to oversee the response.
Stalin plans to visit Karur early Sunday morning. He’ll meet with the injured and check on safety plans for upcoming events, aiming to prevent future crowd control failures.
This deadly incident has sparked urgent discussions on crowd management and safety at large public gatherings in Tamil Nadu. Authorities launched an investigation to pinpoint any planning or management lapses that led to the disaster. It’s one of the worst rally-related tragedies in recent years, fueling calls for tougher safety protocols at political events across India.
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