Actor-politician Vijay, heading the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, remained inside his campaign vehicle at Velusamypuram, the venue, for an extended period, leading to overcrowding and restlessness among the crowd that had gathered to attend his rally on September 27, according to an FIR into the incident in which at least 41 people have died and 60 were injured.
Meanwhile, a source within Vijay’s party, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), stated that the actor has been advised by the police not to visit the government medical facility to see the victims due to the sensitive law and order situation.
The police have not filed a case against the actor himself, but the FIR names three key TVK functionaries: Mathiazhagan (Karur North district secretary), Bussy Anand (state general secretary), and Nirmal Kumar (TVK deputy general secretary). They have been charged under sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 125 (endangering life of others), and 223 (disobedience to order) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with section 3 of the Tamil Nadu Public Property (Prevention of Damage and Loss) Act, 1992.
On Monday, the death toll from the stampede rose to 41 after a 60-year-old woman succumbed to her injuries in hospital.
The probe panel, headed by retired Justice Aruna Jagadeesan, continued its investigation on Monday, with the judge meeting patients at the government hospital. She confirmed that a detailed report would be submitted to the government once the inquiry is complete.
According to the police account and the FIR, the initial overcrowding and subsequent stampede occurred because the crowd surged forward in an attempt to catch a glimpse of Vijay. The police noted that the narrow venue was inadequate for such a large gathering, as a result people got trampled. Disorder ensued, with police resorting to a lathi-charge (baton charge) to restore order, and many who fainted were rushed to the Karur government hospital. Crucially, the FIR also indicates that people climbed on steel sheds and trees for a better view; when these structures collapsed, they fell onto the crowd below, causing the fatal crush injuries and suffocation.
Following the tragedy, Chief Minister MK Stalin visited the victims and announced a compassionate payment (solatium) of ₹10 lakh to each of the affected families, promising appropriate action based on the Commission's findings. Police protection has been increased at the government medical facility.
However, the impartiality of the single-person inquiry commission has been questioned by former Telangana Governor Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan. Speaking in Chennai, she claimed that the commission was unlikely to investigate the police intelligence failure fully, noting that she was not aware of any senior police officials facing suspension for the tragic event, despite the failure to manage the swelling numbers at the rally venue.
Meanwhile, expelled AIADMK (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) leader VK Sasikala, who met the bereaved families, demanded a probe by a central agency. She claimed that the power supply was cut off within minutes after the meeting concluded, and when it returned, the rush had already begun, suggesting that the full truth would only emerge after a comprehensive investigation by a central body.
Also read: TVK approaches Madras HC, seeks probe into Karur stampede
Follow us
