KARUR: Thirty nine people died in a stampede during TVK leader Vijay’s campaign in Karur on Saturday evening, Tamil Nadu health minister Ma Subramanian said. The deceased included 10 children, 17 women and 12 men. More than 80 people have been admitted to hospitals.The govt has formed a one-man commission headed by Justice (retired) Aruna Jagadeesan to inquire into the stampede.Chief minister M K Stalin announced Rs 10 lakh as ex gratia to the families of those who died in the stampede. Stalin would leave for Karur tonight.Stampede live updates Earlier, Stalin directed officials and ministers to ensure immediate medical assistance for those who fainted in a crowd and were admitted to hospital.
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Stalin tweeted that he had instructed former minister V Senthilbalaji, health minister Ma Subramanian, and the Karur collector to oversee treatment on priority. He also asked school education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi to extend support “on a war footing.”Stalin added that he had spoken to the ADGP to take steps to bring the situation under control swiftly. He appealed to the public to cooperate with doctors and police in managing the situation. .Vijay who returned to Chennai late at night tweeted, “I am heartbroken; I am writhing in unbearable, indescribable pain and sorrow. I express my deepest sympathies and condolences to the families of our dear brothers and sisters who lost their lives in Karur. I pray for a speedy recovery for those undergoing treatment in the hospital.”
What eyewitnesses say
Veluswamypuram, the location permitted by police for the TVK’s rally on Karur-Erode state highway, was completely crowded. Vijay reached the venue in the evening after his campaign in Namakkal town. “Everything was normal until Vijay came to the campaign venue. Suddenly, floodlights connected to a generator turned off, after that one woman started to search for her missing child, people panicked, and the mass helter-skelter,” said said R K Nirmal, a survivor. Nirmal, a native of Karur working in an IT firm in Chennai, was yet to recover from the shock. Caught at ground zero, Nirmal and a few others in the TVK election rally site at Veluswamypuram on Saturday evening had panicked due to the frenzy crowd, had managed to save a few people among the crowd, but it was too late to save a few others who were already trapped and stuck under vehicles.Compared to the previous venues of TVK leader’s campaign, Karur was the most disorganised event, cadres and fans were standing a few inches away from the campaign vehicle. Many of the cadres and fans assembled did not anticipate the things to head south. However, there were indications for the disaster. Actor Vijay was speaking on top of his campaign vehicle and was intervened by his senior party man Aadhav Arjuna, general secretary – elections. Then the actor was heard appealing to the people and police. Ashmika, a 9-year-old girl, was missing, the public address system said. Vijay also appealed to the police to help. The actor’s speech was cut short; it appears that organizers in TVK have realized something has gone wrong mid-way.Ezhil M from Karur, who had been waiting at the venue since around 3am, said, “There was no proper organization. We didn’t even have access to drinking water.”READ ALSO: Ropes, hoardings cut escape route“As the songs kept playing, the crowd grew more and more excited. People started collapsing, one after another. Vijay saw that and that’s why he cut short his speech. We were all scared and just started running once it grew uncontrollable,” he said.Ramesh V, another eyewitness, recalled a moment that triggered panic in the crowd. “When Vijay sang the song criticising V Senthilbalaji as the ’10-rupees minister’, the crowd erupted. The energy shifted and suddenly the police began using lathis, and people panicked. Everyone started pushing forward, including parents holding babies. It was chaos.” Both of whom attended the campaign said.President, PM condole deathsPresident Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Governor R N Ravi condoled the deaths of people in the stampede.“Anguished to know about the tragic loss of lives in a stampede-like unfortunate incident in Karur district of Tamil Nadu. I extend my deepest condolences to the bereaved family members and pray for early recovery of those injured,” the President said. “The unfortunate incident during a political rally in Karur, Tamil Nadu, is deeply saddening. My thoughts are with the families who have lost their loved ones. Wishing strength to them in this difficult time. Praying for a swift recovery to all those injured,” Modi posted on X.“Deeply pained and anguished by the tragic loss of innocent lives, including children, during a political rally in Karur. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families in this time of grief and prayers for the speedy recovery of those injured,” Ravi posted on X.
