Vijay and MK Stalin (File photo)
NEW DELHI: Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin on Wednesday addressed the Karur tragedy in the assembly, where a stampede at actor-turned-politician Vijay’s rally killed 41 people. He blamed the crowd management and Vijay, saying the delay in the leader’s arrival caused severe congestion.”Karur has shaken the conscience of the entire Tamil Nadu and conveyed his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. A total compensation of Rs 4.87 crore was issued to the victims’ families. A One-Man Commission and an SIT were formed to investigate the incident, and a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is being drafted to prevent such tragedies in the future,” Stalin said in the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly.He said the organisers failed to provide adequate facilities such as food, water, and toilets, especially for women.
“A large crowd followed the caravan, and even though the police had requested to halt the bus ahead, the organisers refused. The campaign vehicle entering the crowd against police advice led to commotion and asphyxiation, especially among women and children, causing them to fall. Some people entered the generator room, leading the operator to switch it off. The police immediately informed of ambulances as none had been arranged earlier by the organisers,” he said.Stalin also criticised Vijay-led Tamilaga Vetteri Kazhagam (TVK), saying party cadres attacked two ambulances, delaying rescue operations after the incident and leading to two arrests.Stalin added that the government acted immediately, reaching Karur the same night to meet affected families and coordinate with health officials. “The first person was admitted to the hospital at 7:47 PM,” he said.He also explained that TVK leader Vijay’s event on September 27 faced multiple logistical issues. “TVK leader’s event took place on September 27. The party district secretary had sought permission to hold meetings in several locations, but permission was denied in most places, including Light House, due to traffic and other reasons. Finally, permission was granted in Veluchamy Puram with 11 conditions, and security arrangements were made with 517 police personnel,” Stalin said.Vijay arrived seven hours late despite the announced time of 12 PM, which caused severe crowding. “A total of 606 officials and police were on duty on that day. The deployment was higher than usual as a large crowd was expected. The organisers had mentioned the event time as 3 PM to 10 PM in the permission letter, but during a press meet, it was announced that the leader would come by 12 PM. This led to people gathering much earlier. After finishing the Namakkal event, the leader reached Karur nearly seven hours later than the announced time, which caused severe congestion,” he said.Stalin said the government arranged 400 additional beds and deployed 152 health personnel. “Except one, all those who were admitted have returned home. Since the mortuary did not have enough space, special permission was obtained from the Collector for an autopsy. A team of 24 doctors carried out the post-mortems, completing 39 autopsies by 1:45 AM on September 27 and 1:10 PM on September 28,” he added.The Supreme Court issued an interim order transferring the case to the CBI, and the state government will act according to the final verdict.”I have been in politics for 50 years and have always ensured that events are conducted according to the rules and conditions. No leader would want to see his cadres die. People’s lives are of utmost importance,” Stalin said. Go to Source