Political Finger-Pointing Intensifies After Deadly Karur Rally Chaos Claims 40 Lives
In the aftermath of a tragic stampede that claimed at least 40 lives and injured more than 100 others at actor-turned-politician Vijay’s rally in Tamil Nadu, a heated exchange of accusations has unfolded between the organizers and state authorities. Authorities insist the incident stemmed from poor planning and the event’s star attraction’s delayed appearance, while the ruling party vows accountability.
The bodies of those killed in Saturday’s chaos at the Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) gathering in Karur were released to grieving families following post-mortems on Sunday. The wounded continue to receive care at a local government hospital, with three patients in critical condition. Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin visited the facility that day, convening a meeting with ministers, medical officials, and attending physicians to assess the situation.
Law enforcement officials have dismissed any lapses in intelligence as a factor, attributing the disorder instead to Vijay’s tardiness. The TVK leader arrived several hours behind schedule after addressing a separate event in the neighboring Namakkal district, leaving thousands waiting under the sun for much of the day. An estimated 25,000 attendees far exceeded the 10,000 anticipated by organizers, overwhelming security measures despite the deployment of roughly 500 officers on site.
A First Information Report lodged at the Karur town police station holds TVK’s Karur (north) district secretary Madhiazhagan, general secretary Bussy Anand, and joint general secretary CTR Nirmal Kumar accountable. They face charges under sections 105 (culpable homicide), 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), and 125 (endangering life of others) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Additional Director General of Police (law and order) Davidson Devasirvatham detailed how officers urged event staff to halt Vijay’s customized campaign bus 50 meters short of the planned parking area to manage the throng. Organizers disregarded the advice, however, proceeding to the intended spot. The situation escalated when Vijay remained inside the vehicle for about 10 minutes, heightening the crowd’s impatience and leading to a surge as supporters clamored for a glimpse of him.
Devasirvatham further noted that TVK failed to provide essentials like drinking water and ignored police stipulations attached to the event permit, exacerbating the risks amid the unexpectedly large turnout.
TVK’s legal representative, S Arivazhagan, countered by claiming a political plot orchestrated the mishap. He demanded a judicially supervised investigation or one led by an impartial external body. Arivazhagan also criticized the Tamil Nadu administration and police for allegedly rushing autopsies without properly identifying the deceased.
In a related development, N Senthilkannan, an injured attendee, filed a petition calling for TVK to be prohibited from conducting additional rallies or public assemblies pending the completion of all probes.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin engaged with the victims’ relatives early Sunday, expressing profound dismay. “In the history of our state, never has such a large number of people lost their lives in a program organised by a political party, and such a tragedy should never happen in the future either,” he stated. Stalin pledged financial aid of ₹10 lakh to families of the deceased and ₹1 lakh apiece to those hurt. On the prospect of apprehending Vijay, he added, “Once the truth is revealed, strict action will definitely be taken.”
From across the border, Karnataka Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council and BJP MLC Chalavadi Narayanaswamy labeled the episode a “failure of both the state government and actor-politician Vijay.” He remarked, “Vijay is new with no experience. On the other hand, the government also completely failed to control the crowd; therefore, it should have taken measures even before the event began.”
Echoing concerns on responsibility, Congress leader Supriya Shrinate mourned the toll, which she cited as exceeding 36 fatalities alongside numerous injuries. “I am deeply saddened by what happened… My condolences to all the families who are suffering this grief… As for stampedes, leaders are certainly responsible.”