Karur, September 28 — Actor-politician Vijay, chief of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), announced Rs 20 lakh compensation for each of the 39 families who lost loved ones in a stampede at his rally in Karur on Saturday evening, along with Rs 2 lakh for nearly 100 injured individuals. The tragedy, which claimed 13 men, 17 women, four boys and five girls while injuring 51 others under intensive care, occurred amid a crowd of about 27,000 at the Velusamypuram venue on the Karur-Erode highway, according to details received by The Chenab Times.
Vijay’s delayed arrival by nearly seven hours, from a scheduled noon to 7:40 p.m., led to the crowd swelling under the hot sun without adequate food or water provisions, Tamil Nadu Director General of Police Shankar Jiwal said, as reported by NDTV. Only 500 police personnel were deployed for an event permitted for 10,000 attendees, contributing to the chaos when supporters surged to make way for his vehicle.
In a post on X via TVK’s official handle, Vijay expressed profound grief: “I am at a loss for words to express the pain my heart endures. My eyes and mind are clouded with sorrow… This is indeed an irreparable loss for us. No matter who offers words of comfort, the loss of our loved ones is unbearable.” He added, “As a member of your family, I intend to provide 20 lakh rupees to each family that has lost a loved one and 2 lakh rupees to those who are injured and receiving treatment,” assuring party support for medical needs.
Videos showed Vijay pausing his speech to toss water bottles to fainting supporters and calling for police assistance as the crowd grew uncontrollable, according to PTI as cited by NDTV. This marks the second such incident at his events, following six deaths at TVK’s launch rally in October 2024.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced Rs 10 lakh for each deceased family and Rs 1 lakh for the injured, ordering a judicial probe by retired Justice Aruna Jagadeesan and dispatching 44 doctors from nearby districts for aid. Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved Rs 2 lakh from the PM’s National Relief Fund for kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured, stating on X, “The unfortunate incident during a political rally in Karur, Tamil Nadu, is deeply saddening.”
Stalin visited Karur on Sunday to meet victims’ families and the injured. TVK’s top aide was booked for negligence, and opposition leaders, including AIADMK’s Edappadi K. Palaniswami and BJP’s Nainar Nagendran, demanded accountability and a Supreme Court probe. Vijay has not commented on allegations of safety norm violations at his rallies.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
