Vijay remained inside campaign vehicle, crowd climbed — what FIR says on TVK Karur stampede

An FIR filed in connection with the deadly Karur stampede claimed that actor-politician Vijay remained inside his campaign vehicle at the venue for an extended period, leading to overcrowding and restlessness among the crowd that had gathered to attend his rally on September 27.

According to news agency PTI, the FIR stated at about 4.45 PM, TVK chief Vijay entered Karur district via Velayuthampalayam and Thavittupalayam, which borders the district.

"Vijay deliberately caused the delay by conducting a roadshow without permission in several places", it said.

Also, violating conditions, receptions were held at several places, and thus, further delay was caused, it said.

By 7 PM, Vijay reached the Velusamypuram junction, the FIR said, giving the details of events before the stampede. "Vijay's campaign vehicle halted amidst the huge crowd of party workers, and a deliberate delay was caused for a short time... there was excessive crowding of workers and the general public at that spot," it added.

Police said in the FIR that the stampede occurred after the crowd surged forward to have a closer glimpse of Vijay.

They claimed that the narrow venue hardly afforded space for so many people, resulting in trampling.

Police resorted to a lathi-charge in a bid to restore order. Many who fainted at the venue were rushed to the government hospital in Karur, PTI reported.

According to the FIR, the crowd climbed over steel sheds and trees to get a better view, and when these collapsed, they fell on the crowd below, resulting in the fatal stampede.

Several persons died due to suffocation and crush injuries, the FIR said.

TVK Karur stampede

Around 40 people died and 60 were injured after a "stampede-like situation" took place during Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) rally in Karur, Tamil Nadu, on Saturday evening (September 27).

The toll due to the stampede at the rally increased to 41 on Monday, with a 60-year-old woman succumbing to her injuries at a hospital, PTI reported.

TVK source told PTI that following the tragic incident, Vijay was advised against visiting the government hospital in Karur as his presence might cause crowding at the hospital premises.

"Initially, he had planned to visit the injured and console them, but was informed that his presence might cause further crowding," a senior TVK leader was quoted as saying.

Following the tragic incident, the state government constituted a one-person enquiry commission under retired Justice Jagadeesan to investigate the incident.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, who met the victims, announced a solatium of ₹10 lakh each to the affected families. Also, he had assured to take appropriate action based on the findings of the Commission.

No FIR against Vijay but...

The police have not booked any case against the actor, but registered an FIR against three key TVK functionaries in connection with the stampede.

They included the district secretary for Karur North, Mathiazhagan, the party's state general secretary, Bussy Anand, and TVK's deputy general secretary, Nirmal Kumar.

The three party functionaries have been booked under sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 125 (endangering life of others), and 223 (disobedience to order), of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with section 3 of the Tamil Nadu Public Property (Preventing of Damage and Loss) Act, 1992, a police official said.

On Monday, the probe panel, headed by Justice (retd) Aruna Jagadeesan, continued with the investigation into the stampede during Vijay's rally.

The judge interacted with the patients at the government hospital and later said that she would submit a detailed report to the government once the probe was completed.

(With inputs from PTI)