Karur stampede claimed 41 lives during TVK rally
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has summoned actor-politician and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) founder Vijay for questioning in connection with the Karur stampede case, officials said on Tuesday.
Vijay has been asked to appear at the CBI headquarters in New Delhi on January 12, as part of the ongoing probe into the deadly stampede that occurred on September 27 during a TVK rally in Karur district.
The stampede claimed 41 lives and left over 60 people injured, triggering widespread outrage and demands for accountability. The CBI formally took over the investigation on October 26, a month after the incident.
Officials said the agency has already questioned several office-bearers of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam as part of the probe and is now seeking Vijay’s statement in the case.
Vijay met victims’ families after tragedy
A day after the CBI took over the investigation, Vijay met the families of the stampede victims at a resort in Mahabalipuram on October 27, marking one month since the incident.
Vijay and his party have repeatedly expressed grief over the tragedy and announced compensation of ₹20 lakh each to the families of those who lost their lives, along with ₹2 lakh for those injured. The party later said the compensation had been credited to the affected families.
“The money, ₹20 lakh each, has been sent to 39 families, totalling ₹7.8 crore,” TVK said in a post on social media platform X.
Police flagged overcrowding, delay at rally
According to police officials, the rally witnessed a turnout of around 27,000 people, nearly three times the expected crowd of 10,000, which contributed to the chaos.
Police had earlier stated that a seven-hour delay in Vijay’s arrival at the venue led to prolonged crowding, worsening the situation. Multiple ambulances, including those arranged by TVK, were stationed near the police quarters in Velusamypuram at the time of the incident.
Senior police officials said that emergency services were pressed into action immediately after the stampede, with ambulances rushed in from nearby hospitals to evacuate the injured.
The CBI investigation is continuing, with the agency examining crowd management, security arrangements, and the sequence of events leading to the tragedy.
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