The tragic Karur stampede in Tamil Nadu has left the state in shock, with 41 people dead and more than 100 injured during actor-turned-politician Vijay’s rally. The dead were handed over to their families after post-mortem, while many injured continued treatment in Karur hospitals. Currently, there are three people who are still in critical stage and being treated in the ICU.
Tamil Nadu CM Stalin personally met families of the victims and announced ₹10 lakh for each of the deceased and ₹1 lakh for the injured. He called it one of the worst tragedies in the state’s political history and promised strict action once the investigation is complete. Meanwhile, the political blame game has already begun between the TVK and DMK in this case.
Police have charged top TVK leaders, including District Secretary Madhiazhagan, General Secretary Bussy Anand and Joint General Secretary CTR Nirmal Kumar, under culpable homicide and related sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Officials said TVK expected 10,000 people but over 25,000 showed up with poor arrangements for drinking water and crowd management. Vijay also arrived late to the venue which added to restlessness among the crowd and gave more time for the crowd to gather in huge numbers.
TVK leaders alleged the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) deliberately cut power at the rally venue, worsening the situation. However, TNEB Chief Engineer Rajyalakshmi countered, saying TVK itself had written a letter requesting a temporary power cut during Vijay’s rally. Earlier, TVK had also blamed police for the stampede.
Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin held a review meeting with doctors and ministers in Karur. Police officials also claimed that TVK insisted on parking Vijay’s bus in a risky spot, further worsening the situation. On the other side, TVK’s counsel alleged a political conspiracy, accusing the government and police of rushing autopsies without proper identification of victims. A petition has also been filed to bar TVK from holding rallies until investigations are complete at the Madras High Court to uphold TVK’s accountability in this case.
Opposition voices have also joined in. BJP leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy blamed both Vijay and the state government for failing to ensure safety, while Congress leader Supriya Shrinate said leaders must take responsibility for such tragedies, though now is the time to support grieving families.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu CM Stalin on Monday urged people not to spread misinformation or rumours on social media regarding the Karur tragedy and appealed for responsible behaviour.
Inquiries continue, grief and anger mix on the streets of Karur, with families demanding both justice and accountability.
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