Tamil Nadu’s top cop, Director General of Police G. Venkataraman, called the stampede at actor-turned-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) rally in Karur a “deeply regrettable” tragedy on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters in an early morning briefing, Venkataraman described it as an unfortunate incident sparked by a sudden crowd surge and inadequate facilities at the venue. “It was a regrettable one,” he said, pointing to confusion over Vijay’s arrival time as a key trigger.
Organizers had permission for the rally from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., but the TVK’s Twitter account announced Vijay would show up at noon. Fans started gathering from 11 a.m., waiting hours in the scorching sun without enough food or water. Vijay actually arrived around 7:40 p.m., leading to a massive buildup.
What started as an expected crowd of about 10,000 turned into nearly 27,000 people at Velusamypuram, overwhelming police preparations for around 20,000 attendees. Venkataraman noted that a frenzied welcome for Vijay at one point pushed the crowd forward as fans rushed to follow him inside.
The DGP made it clear police aren’t out to blame anyone—just sharing the facts. On potential security lapses, he explained the event took place on a public road, which made extra barricades tough to set up. “We’re only providing support,” he said. Police had briefed organizers on crowd control and safety measures ahead of time.
Initially, about 500 officers were on duty, but more forces arrived as things heated up. Now, authorities have sent ADGP Davidson Devasirvatham for law and order, along with three Inspectors General, two Deputy Inspectors General, 10 Superintendents of Police, and over 2,000 additional personnel to Karur.
In response to the Tamil Nadu stampede—one of the state’s worst tragedies at a political event—the government launched a judicial inquiry. Retired High Court judge Justice Aruna Jagadeesan will lead it to uncover causes and hold people accountable.
The incident has sparked strong calls across Tamil Nadu for tougher safety rules and smarter crowd management at big political rallies and public gatherings.
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