As Tamil Nadu mourns the horrific stampede at actor-turned-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) rally in Karur, where at least 36 people, including eight children and 16 women, lost their lives, serious questions are being asked about crowd management failures, ignored instructions, and the chaotic sequence of events that led to disaster.
The actor himself, visibly shaken, was heard pleading from the stage, “Police, please help,” as the crowd surged uncontrollably. Vijay also threw water bottles into the sea of people and tried to arrange ambulances on the spot, but the relief came too late for dozens who suffocated in the crush.
News18 reported according to official records, TVK had informed Karur Police on September 25 that around 10,000 people were expected. By Saturday evening, however, the actual turnout swelled to an estimated 30,000–35,000, far beyond the security and logistical capacity of the venue, the report said.
The venue itself was ill-prepared to handle such numbers. Pathways were narrow, exits were poorly marked, and there were not enough volunteers to regulate movement. Ambulances struggled to make their way through the densely packed crowd, causing delays in delivering critical medical care.
According to the report, police had laid down several mandatory conditions in advance—separate entry and exit points, barricading around the stage, and buffer zones to manage the crowd flow. Eyewitness accounts, however, suggest that these precautions were either neglected or implemented inadequately, it said. It is reported when the barricades broke as people pushed toward the stage, the lack of escape routes made the situation catastrophic.
It further said that adding to the chaos was the long wait. Vijay, whose popularity has drawn frenzied crowds for decades, arrived nearly six hours late, it is reported. The restless gathering, already packed in suffocating conditions, erupted in a surge forward as soon as he appeared. That moment triggered panic and collapse, the report said.
“Deeply saddening,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, offering condolences to the bereaved families. Chief Minister MK Stalin announced a ₹10 lakh solatium for the kin of the deceased and ordered a judicial probe under retired judge Aruna Jagadeesan. Ministers and emergency medical teams were also dispatched to Karur.
As hospitals filled with the injured—over 60 remain admitted—heart-rending visuals emerged of families breaking down in grief. One father was seen carrying the lifeless body of his child in his arms.
Vijay, who had abruptly ended his address once the chaos spiraled out of control, later departed for Chennai via Tiruchirappalli airport without speaking to reporters or visiting the injured in Karur hospitals.
Weeks before tragedy struck in Tamil Nadu’s Karur, the Madras High Court had warned of possible fatalities at actor-turned-politician Vijay’s rallies if safety lapses continued, according to News18. The court had asked the DMK-led government who would take responsibility if lives were lost and ordered uniform safety rules for political gatherings across parties.
On Saturday, the nightmare scenario came true. The disaster has now reignited questions of accountability, crowd control, and whether the court’s warning was ignored.
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