Tamil Nadu police chief G Venkataraman said a prolonged delay in actor-politician Vijay’s arrival triggered the deadly crush at his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) rally in Karur on Saturday, where at least 39 people were killed and nearly 100 injured.
Speaking at a late-night press conference, Venkataraman said organisers expected around 10,000 people, but more than 27,000 turned up. About 500 police personnel had been deployed. “Earlier TVK rallies had smaller crowds, but this turnout was far higher than anticipated,” he said.
Confusion mounted when TVK’s official X handle announced that Vijay would arrive by noon, even though permission for the event was granted between 3pm and 10pm local time, reports NDTV.
Crowds began gathering from 11am, but Vijay reached only at 7.40pm. “People waited under the hot sun without adequate food and water,” Venkataraman noted, adding that it was still “too early” to determine the precise trigger of the stampede.
Footage from the rally showed Vijay addressing thousands from atop a campaign vehicle, tossing water bottles to fainting supporters and calling for police assistance as the crowd surged.
Vijay, 51, expressed anguish on X, writing, “My heart is broken; I am in unbearable, indescribable pain and sorrow. I extend my deepest condolences 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.”
The stampede has renewed scrutiny of TVK’s rallies, which have repeatedly breached restrictions. Despite a ban on roadshows, Vijay’s convoys often turn into mass processions. Courts had previously warned of such risks, placing responsibility on both the party and police.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has appointed a commission led by retired judge Aruna Jagadeesan to probe whether police underestimated the crowd or whether the delayed arrival was a tactic to boost turnout – an apparent miscalculation that ended in one of Tamil Nadu’s worst rally disasters.
