Karur stampede: DGP cites Vijay’s delay, swelling crowds, lack of food and water as reason behind 39 deaths

Karur stampede

Tamil Nadu DGP G Venkatraman on Sunday said the fatal stampede at actor-turned-politician Vijay’s rally in Karur, which claimed 39 lives, was triggered by the TVK chief’s delayed arrival.

Calling it an “unfortunate” incident, the police chief said people had gathered in sweltering heat with little food and water, leading to exhaustion and chaos as the crowd swelled.

“Even though permission was sought for 10,000 people, we knew the crowd would exceed that,” Venkatraman told reporters. He added that TVK’s social media handles announced Vijay’s arrival hours earlier than he actually showed up, which prompted a surge in attendees.

Permission was granted for a 1.2 lakh sq ft venue that recently hosted an AIADMK rally. While organisers expected 10,000, officials said at least 50,000 turned up. “Permission was sought between 3 pm and 10 pm. The TVK Twitter account said he would come at 1,2 and the crowd started coming in from 11 am. He came at 7.40 pm,” Venkatraman said.

The police chief also defended the deployment of around 500 personnel, noting the site was a public road. “Our intention is not to blame anyone, but we are just stating the facts,” he said.

Chief Minister MK Stalin called the incident “worrying” and announced a commission of inquiry led by Justice Aruna Jagadeesan to probe the tragedy and recommend safeguards against future crowd disasters.

Eyewitnesses to the Karur rally stampede, which left 39 dead, said the massive turnout and Vijay’s delayed arrival created conditions that were impossible to control.

“We were there ourselves. Nothing could be done to control the crowd. He (Vijay) had said he would arrive in Karur by 11 am, and everyone was informed about it. But when he came, it was much delayed,” eyewitness Nanda Kumar told ANI.

“We pray that everyone who was injured recovers fully… But beyond that, such incidents must be prevented from happening again. It’s hard to understand who is at fault. People had come expecting him to arrive on time; many were accompanied by children, were hungry, or faced difficult situations. Everyone came with the enthusiasm of wanting to see a star. This is deeply distressing.”

Kumar added that “such events should be carefully planned,” noting that even with safety measures, no one could manage if “10 or 15 times more people show up than expected.”

Another eyewitness, Suriya, said ambulances struggled to reach the victims. “There wasn’t enough space for people to stand. It took a very long time to bring people out,” he said.

In a post on X, Vijay expressed his anguish over the tragedy. “My heart is shattered; I am writhing in unbearable, indescribable pain and sorrow that words cannot express. I extend my deepest condolences and sympathies to the families of my dear brothers and sisters who lost their lives in Karur. I pray for the swift recovery of those receiving treatment in the hospital,” he wrote.