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Karur stampede: Justice Aruna Jagadeesan Commission begins probe
The Karur stampede at Vijay's TVK rally in Tamil Nadu has claimed at least 41 lives, including a woman who died in hospital from her injuries.
Following the death toll in Tamil Nadu’s Karur stampede rising to 41, an enquiry commission led by Justice Aruna Jagadeesan began its probe on Monday, two days after a rally by actor-turned-politician Vijay’s party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), triggered the tragedy in the district.
After the September 27 incident, over 60 people were admitted as in-patients, with at least two reported in critical condition. Several attendees fainted and were rushed to nearby hospitals. Officials said that overcrowding at the venue was the main cause of the stampede.
A day earlier, TVK chief and actor Vijay announced he would provide financial aid of ₹20 lakh to each bereaved family and ₹2 lakh to the injured in the incident. In an emotional post penned down on X, the TVK chief said that he was at a "loss for words" to express the pain his heart endured, further stating the faces of the deceased kept flashing through his mind.
Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin also announced compensation of ₹10 lakh for each deceased family and ₹1 lakh for those receiving treatment.
Among the 41 deceased are 18 women, 13 men, five young girls, and five young boys. Of these, 34 were residents of Karur district, while two each hailed from Erode, Tiruppur, and Dindigul districts, and one from Salem district, according to news agency ANI.
The massive crowd at Vijay’s rally on Saturday evening reportedly turned chaotic, sparking panic. Several attendees fainted and were rushed to nearby hospitals, with sources indicating that overcrowding at the venue was the primary cause of the incident.
Madras high court to hear TVK's plea
Vijay’s plea seeking an independent inquiry into the Karur stampede is expected to be heard later today by the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court. On Sunday, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief approached the court, requesting a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the tragedy.
TVK is being represented by Advocate S. Arivazhagan, who urged the court to take suo motu cognisance of the incident and ensure a fair and impartial investigation. The plea emphasised that only an independent agency could identify the lapses that led to the large-scale loss of life at the party’s public meeting.
Meanwhile, the Madras High Court heard a petition on Sunday seeking to restrain TVK from organising public gatherings, rallies, or meetings until the official inquiry into the Karur stampede is complete. Justice N Senthilkumar heard the urgent petition at 4.30 pm. The plea highlighted that holding large-scale political events without accountability could endanger lives and that a thorough investigation must be completed before allowing new rallies.
The Tamil Nadu government has already ordered a probe, with senior officials and top police officers reviewing the lapses. Political leaders across party lines, including chief minister MK Stalin, opposition leader Edappadi K Palaniswami, and Union leaders, expressed grief and called for strict measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Separately, on Monday, Chennai police received a phone call claiming a bomb had been planted at the ECR, Neelankarai residence of the TVK chief. Following the alert on Sunday, police rushed to the site and deployed a bomb disposal squad. Experts are conducting thorough checks inside and outside the premises, while visuals showed heightened security outside Vijay’s residence.
