The tragic stampede at Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam’s (TVK) rally in Karur, Tamil Nadu, has left at least 40 people dead, including nine children, and dozens injured. The chaos unfolded as thousands of fans gathered to see actor-turned-politician Vijay, with many pushed into a low-lying drainage area as panic spread. Witnesses said people initially thought the crowd’s collapse was part of the celebration until it turned into a deadly rush. The scene at the venue was filled with abandoned shoes, broken poles, torn flags, and other remnants of a festive gathering that ended in horror. Hospitals in Karur were overwhelmed as ambulances rushed victims, while families mourned outside mortuaries.
Vijay, who expressed deep grief over the incident, announced ₹20 lakh compensation for families of the deceased and ₹2 lakh for the injured. He also petitioned the Madras High Court seeking a CBI or SIT probe into the tragedy. The Union government separately declared ₹2 lakh ex-gratia from the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund and ₹50,000 for those injured. Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin visited the victims and confirmed that a commission led by retired judge Aruna Jagadeesan would probe the security lapses and overcrowding that contributed to the disaster. Over 345 doctors and nurses from neighboring districts have been deployed to assist in treatment.
Meanwhile, political blame games have begun, with AIADMK chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami alleging severe security failures on the part of the police and the ruling government. He claimed that prior TVK rallies had witnessed large turnouts, and authorities should have anticipated the risks. Palaniswami urged leaders not to politicize the tragedy but stressed that such negligence could have been avoided with proper planning and crowd control. The shocking incident, one of the worst stampedes at a political rally in Tamil Nadu’s history, has raised serious questions about event management, security preparedness, and the responsibility of both political parties and government agencies in safeguarding lives.
