Nine months after the Karur stampede that claimed 41 lives and cast a long shadow over the state assembly election, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay returned to the city on Friday to defend his role in the tragedy, question the police response, and mount a sharp attack on the erstwhile DMK government.
Addressing a gathering on his first visit to Karur as Chief Minister to hand over appointment letters to members of the victims' families, Vijay recalled the tragedy with visible emotion, saying the loss continued to weigh heavily on him. Dressed entirely in black, he remarked that the Karur stampede had caused immense anguish and that they had lost the children of their sisters.
The stampede occurred during Vijay's election rally at Velusamypuram, where thousands of fans and supporters of his TVK party had turned out. Forty-one people, including children and the superstar's young fans, were killed and more than 100 others were injured. The case is currently being investigated by the CBI.
Vijay firmly rejected allegations that his party was responsible for the deaths, arguing that crowd management was entirely the responsibility of the police. The actor-turned-politician stated that he had trusted the police to control the crowd, yet he was blamed for the fatalities.
Questioning the security arrangements at the rally, the TVK chief said authorities could have easily prevented the tragedy by alerting his team about the deteriorating situation. Instead, he charged, they resorted to "drama" and shifting the blame. Announcing a tribute to those who died in the stampede, the Chief Minister said a memorial would be built on behalf of his party in Karur, concluding that the city would never leave his heart and the victims would always be remembered.
Also read: Karur stampede: DMK raises concern over CM's meet with families
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