At least 38 people, among them 10 children and 17 women, were killed in a stampede during Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay’s rally in Tamil Nadu’s Karur district on Friday. Officials confirmed that 46 others sustained injuries.
Police sources told Indian media that panic erupted when several people fainted in the densely packed crowd, triggering a rush, reports NDTV.
A senior officer estimated that more than 30,000 supporters had gathered at the venue, where Vijay was to address them after an earlier meeting in Namakkal. His arrival was delayed for over six hours, during which the crowd swelled uncontrollably.
As the heat and suffocation intensified, videos showed Vijay halting his speech and tossing water bottles into the masses in an attempt to provide relief.
The Indian Ministry of Home Affairs has sought a detailed report from the state government. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, expressing shock on X, announced a judicial inquiry headed by retired High Court judge Aruna Jagadeesan.
Stalin also declared compensation of ₹10 lakh for the families of the deceased and ₹1 lakh for those receiving intensive treatment.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the incident “deeply saddening” and offered condolences: “My thoughts are with the families who have lost their loved ones… Praying for the speedy recovery of those injured.”
Vijay, who left for Chennai immediately after the tragedy, avoided media questions at the Trichy airport. Upon arrival in the state capital, he broke his silence, saying: “My heart is shattered, writhing in pain.”
Safety warnings ignored
This is not the first time safety at Vijay’s rallies has been questioned. His debut event in Trichy earlier this month caused hours-long gridlock as thousands followed his convoy from the airport.
Citing the chaos, police imposed 23 safety conditions for TVK gatherings, including bans on convoys and advisories for vulnerable groups to watch online.
Despite repeated appeals, many supporters brought children and the elderly to Friday’s rally. Earlier, the Madras High Court had warned that Vijay, as party leader, bore responsibility for crowd management.
Justice N Sathish Kumar noted during a September 13 hearing: “If something untoward had happened, who would take responsibility?”
The Karur disaster has revived questions about both TVK’s accountability and the police’s preparedness.
