After virtual calls, TVK chief Vijay seeks police nod to visit Karur, meet families of stampede victims

TVK has filed a plea in the Supreme Court seeking an impartial investigation led by a former top-court judge into the tragic stampede

After reaching out to the families of the Karur stampede victims through WhatsApp video calls, actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay has now sought police permission to meet the bereaved families.

Vijay, in an email to the Tamil Nadu Director General of Police (DGP), mentioned that he wished to extend his condolences to the families of those killed in tragedy, in person, according to a report by CNN-News18.

The development comes after Vijay interacted with the families of the stampede victims virtually and assured them of his support.

The TVK chief has been facing flak from certain sections for not visiting the affected families in person.

Speaking to one of the families, Vijay consoled a mother, saying, “I am like your son".

According to one of the affected families, as cited by PTI, Vijay expressed his regret over the incident and said it should not have happened.

Earlier, news agency PTI had quoted sources as saying that it was not clear if Vijay would visit Karur.

The stampede in Karur on September 27, during actor-politicial Vijay’s rally, resulted in the loss of 41 lives and left over 60 injured.

TVK moves Supreme Court

Meanwhile, the TVK has filed a plea in the Supreme Court seeking an impartial investigation led by a former top-court judge into the tragic stampede.

The plea, filed through advocates Dixita Gohil, Pranjal Agarwal, and Yash S Vijay, has challenged the Madras High Court's October 3 order constituting a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by the Inspector General of Police to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the incident.

The petition contends that, despite the High Court's observation questioning the independence of the police probe into the matter, the High Court directed the constitution of an SIT comprising solely of three senior officers from the Tamil Nadu Police, according to ANI.

On October 10, the Supreme Court will hear a plea challenging the Madras High Court order refusing a CBI probe into the Karur stampede.