Preliminary reports suggest that some school students and an infant perished in the crush triggered by a sudden rush at the venue
Overcrowded rally of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam chief and actor Vijay, in Karur district, Tamil Nadu, Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. At least 10 persons, including children, were feared dead in stampede-like situation at the rally, according to officials. — PTI
Chennai: The stampede that took a heavy toll of at least 39 lives, including school children and an infant, and sent 40 persons to hospital on Saturday in Karur was a mishap that was only waiting to happen, given the unruly behavior of the followers of the founder of Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam, Vijay, but the question that bogged many, including the media persons, even as the tragedy was unfolding was: ‘where is Vijay.’
Eyewitnesses said the tragedy that could have been averted if proper crowd management had been adopted by all concerned, particularly by the organisers and the participants.
Mr Vijay, who left the venue in a huff without waiting to know about the fate of the victims of the tragedy, was spotted at the Tiruchi airport an hour later trying to enter it in a jiffy. He refused to answer the questions of media persons and walked away totally ignoring them. Luckily the government machinery had swung into action without wasting time though the organisers, including Mr Vijay, were not there to take responsibility.
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin called for discussions with officials immediately and even decided to take the first flight in the morning to Karur to oversee the rescue and relief operations. He had instructed DMK’s Karur strongman V. Senthil Balaji to rush the hospital where the injured, most of them admitted to the ICU in a serious condition, were being treated and help those in distress.
He also ordered health minister Ma Subramanian and minister for school education Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi to rush to Karur besides enquiring about the details on the ground with the district collector and Intelligence ADGP Davidson Devasirvatham. Collectors from the neighbouring districts of Trichy and Dindigul have also been dispatched to assist the government machinery.
Preliminary reports from the spot said that some school students and an infant perished in the stampede caused by rush at the venue, while some unconfirmed reports suggested people perched on the branches of trees came down tumbling triggering the tragedy.
While the complete real story would be known only after police started the investigations after providing relief to the victims, the participants for the campaign meeting had travelled with children in hand against the advice of the police and also that of TVK leaders.
Mr Vijay, too, had made the fans wait without water and food for about seven hours before arriving at the meeting spot. He was scheduled to be there at 12 noon but reached there only at 7 pm and the organisers, too, did not know how to handle crowds and make necessary arrangements.
Mr Vijay, who left the venue in a huff without waiting to know about the fate of the victims of the tragedy, was spotted at the Tiruchi airport an hour later trying to enter it in a jiffy. He refused to answer the questions of media persons and walked away totally ignoring them. Luckily the government machinery had swung into action without wasting time though the organisers, including Mr Vijay, were not there to take responsibility.
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin called for discussions with officials immediately and even decided to take the first flight in the morning to Karur to oversee the rescue and relief operations. He had instructed DMK’s Karur strongman V. Senthil Balaji to rush the hospital where the injured, most of them admitted to the ICU in a serious condition, were being treated and help those in distress.
He also ordered health minister Ma Subramanian and minister for school education Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi to rush to Karur besides enquiring about the details on the ground with the district collector and Intelligence ADGP Davidson Devasirvatham. Collectors from the neighbouring districts of Trichy and Dindigul have also been dispatched to assist the government machinery.
Preliminary reports from the spot said that some school students and an infant perished in the stampede caused by rush at the venue, while some unconfirmed reports suggested people perched on the branches of trees came down tumbling triggering the tragedy.
While the complete real story would be known only after police started the investigations after providing relief to the victims, the participants for the campaign meeting had travelled with children in hand against the advice of the police and also that of TVK leaders.
Mr Vijay, too, had made the fans wait without water and food for about seven hours before arriving at the meeting spot. He was scheduled to be there at 12 noon but reached there only at 7 pm and the organisers, too, did not know how to handle crowds and make necessary arrangements.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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