Who is Justice Aruna Jagadeesan? Retired Madras High Court judge leading Karur stampede probe

Retired Judge Aruna Jagadeesan arrives at Tiruchirappalli Airport; heads to Karur Hospital on Sunday (PTI)

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has appointed retired Madras High Court judge Justice Aruna Jagadeesan to head a Commission of Inquiry into the stampede that took place during actor-politician Vijay’s rally in Karur on Saturday. At least 40 people were killed in the incident, according to  a health official to news agency PTI. Justice arrived in Trichy and headed to Karur Hospital where people are admitted on Sunday. She told news agency ANI, "The commission has been set up to address shortcomings. Incidents like this should not occur in the future, and the necessary remedial measures will be taken."

Who is Justice Aruna Jagadeesan?

Justice Aruna Jagadeesan, who served as a puisne judge of the Madras High Court from 2009 until her retirement in March 2015, has led several high-profile Commissions of Inquiry in Tamil Nadu. According to NDTV, she was tasked with probing the 2018 anti-Sterlite protests in Thoothukudi, where 13 people were killed in police firing against demonstrators opposing the Sterlite Copper smelting plant. Her report later recommended action against 17 police officials, including senior IPS officers.

She has also presided over wealth-related cases involving the late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and her close aides. NDTV reported that in February 2015, Justice Jagadeesan was part of a High Court bench that cleared the Chennai Police of allegations of a staged encounter in Velachery. Five men suspected of bank robbery were killed in the incident, and pleas seeking a CBI probe were dismissed, with the bench ruling that the police action was justified.

According to Oneindia, she also heard the appeal in the 2002 custodial death case of Karuppi, a Dalit woman, and overturned the lower court’s conviction of eight policemen, acquitting them on the basis of insufficient evidence.

Her judicial career, noted NDTV, has been marked by both high-profile inquiries and controversial rulings, drawing criticism from human rights groups and legal activists.

Her appointment comes at a time of widespread shock following the Karur tragedy. Tamil Nadu Director General of Police G Venkataraman said the organisers had projected a turnout of 10,000, but nearly 27,000 people gathered inside the 1.2 lakh sq ft venue. He added that around 500 police personnel had been deployed.

“People began gathering from 11 a.m., but Vijay only arrived at 7:40 p.m. By then, many had waited all day without food or water under the hot sun,” Venkataraman told reporters. He also noted that permission for the event had been granted between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m., but Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), Vijay’s political party, had posted on social media that he would arrive at noon. The DGP said it was “too early” to determine what exactly triggered the stampede.

Visuals from the rally showed Vijay atop a campaign vehicle, addressing his supporters and attempting to calm the crowd. He was seen tossing water bottles to those fainting in the heat and urging the police to restore order as the situation spiralled out of control.

The Commission led by Justice Jagadeesan will investigate both the immediate chain of events that led to the stampede and the administrative lapses that allowed the tragedy to occur.