Tamil Nadu police have held actor-turned-politician and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay responsible for what they termed a “deliberate display of political power” that triggered the Karur stampede on Sunday evening, leaving 41 people dead. The accusations came in a First Information Report (FIR) which said the event spiralled out of control after Vijay delayed his arrival by several hours.
Karur Stampede: Police Point Finger at Vijay’s Delay, Claim ‘Unplanned’ Roadshow
According to the FIR cited by NDTV, the rally was meant to commence at 9 am, but by 11 am, the crowd had swelled significantly. Police claimed Vijay was due at noon but eventually arrived at 7 pm, four hours later than expected, after deliberately holding back to “build unnecessary expectations.”
The FIR also mentioned that Vijay’s campaign bus made numerous unplanned halts en route, effectively turning into a roadshow without prior permission. Officers said warnings over the lack of food, water, and basic amenities for the massive gathering were ignored. The frequent stoppages further choked traffic in the district.
The report highlighted one of the night’s tragedies when TVK supporters broke through police barricades and climbed onto a tin shed to get a better view of the actor. The roof collapsed, killing party workers. While authorities had been informed to expect around 10,000 people, more than 25,000 attended, the FIR noted.
Karur Stampede: Political Blame Game Erupts
The disaster has sparked a sharp political confrontation between the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and Vijay’s TVK, which is preparing for its first Assembly election next year. TVK leaders have alleged that the tragedy was not accidental but the outcome of a “conspiracy” orchestrated by the DMK.
“There was a conspiracy, a criminal conspiracy in the incident at Karur…” TVK’s lawyer Arivazhagan dismissed claims that the party ignored safety rules. He cited previous rallies in Madurai, Trichy, Ariyalur, Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam, and Namakkal that went off smoothly.
DMK, however, has chosen restraint. Party spokesperson Syed Hafeezullah said, “We don’t want to politicise this. The law will take its course. Those who level such allegations should first introspect how their party leadership behaved.”
Chief Minister MK Stalin appealed for calm in a video statement on X, cautioning the public not to “spread defamation and rumours on social media about Karur” and urging everyone to act responsibly.
Karur Stampede: Power Cut Allegation Adds Fuel To Controversy
Meanwhile, India Today reported that TVK had written to the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (EB) seeking a temporary power shutdown during Vijay’s speech, citing safety concerns over the anticipated late-night crowd at Veluchamipuram. The EB confirmed receiving the request but declined it.
Rajalakshmi, Chief Engineer and District West Secretary, said the party wanted electricity turned off while Vijay addressed the rally. “Since Veluchamipuram is a crowded area and a large crowd of people will come, I humbly request you to turn off the electricity only for the specified time when the leader is speaking, considering the safety,” the letter stated.
TVK sources have accused local politicians and police of colluding with “goondas” to engineer the tragedy, claiming the blackout was intentional, as per India Today’s report.
Eyewitnesses said that there was indeed a power outage from 7 to 7:30 pm, the report stated. Vinod Kumar, whose sister-in-law and two young children died, recounted: “It was getting very late, but they wanted to see Vijay sir once. There was a power cut from 7 to 7:30 pm, and the crowd surged just ahead of his arrival. My sister-in-law and her two children, aged 11 and 7, died on the spot.” Post-mortem reports confirmed suffocation as the cause of death.
However, the Tamil Nadu government rejected allegations of a deliberate power cut. The state’s Fact Check Unit posted on X that, “There was no power cut at the event. Although the TVK party had requested a power supply interruption, no such power cut occurred. The brief dimming of a few lights was solely due to a generator issue in the party’s arrangements.”
The district collector and the Additional Director General of Police echoed this clarification.
