Madras HC Orders SIT Probe into Vijay Rally Stampede
High Court directs senior IPS officer Asra Garg to investigate Karur incident that killed 41 and injured over 60
Chennai: Observing that the stampede at the Karur election rally of the Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) on Saturday was a man-made disaster, the Madras High Court expressed anguish over police inaction against the party president Vijay pointing out that he had fled the scene and ordered the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Inspector General of Police Asra Garg to probe in tragedy.
Hearing a batch of petitions filed by different persons, including a party functionary, Satheesh, against whom a case has been filed, Justice N Senthilkumar said that Vijay lacked leadership qualities.
It was agonizing for him as a judge to see the death of 41 people in the stampede and asked the police what they had done so far but for arresting just two people, Senthilkumar said.
When the entire world had witnessed the unfortunate incident and everyone, right from the President of India and Prime Minister, had condoned the loss of lives, the police action did not appear to be adequate, Justice Senthilkumar said, raising a plethora of questions against the police.
What kind of party was the TVK?, the judge asked, observing that everybody in the party had fled from the place, including the leader, when other parties had visited the place. Another question raised was: Why was a case of hit and run not filed against the driver of the TVK bus, who had not stopped the vehicle after seeing two-wheelers going under the wheels.
He also asked why the police had not issued any notice to the TVK since an uncontrolled mob indulged in all kinds of activities and what prevented the party from taking precautionary measures at the rally in Karur, wondering if arrangements were made for providing drinking water to the crowd.
No mercy could be shown to the organizers, who had violated most of the conditions laid out to them, and the TVK vehicle could have been seized, the judge said.
At the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court, hearing a batch of petitions, including the bail plea of some party leaders like N Anand and C T Nirmalkumar, the bench comprising Justices M Dhandapani and M Jothiraman refused to order a CBI probe and said that no public rally should be allowed near Highways.
On a petition demanding compensation for the victims, the bench ordered notices to the State government and the TVK and on the one demanding Standard Operating Procedures (SoP) for such rallies, the judges said that the State government had already been asked to do it.
