Stampede At Vijay's Rally In Karur : Over 30 Dead, CM Stalin Orders Emergency Response; Announces ₹10 Lakh Ex-Gratia

Chennai:  In one of the worst tragedies at a political roadshow, at least 36 persons including several children were killed following a stampede at actor-politician Vijay’s roadshow in Karur in western Tamil Nadu on Saturday night. More than 50 persons were undergoing treatment – some of them in critical condition – at the Karur Government General Hospital. At the time of filing this report at 10.30 pm, a few unconscious children and adults were being still rushed to the hospital. 

Chief Minister M K Stalin was rushing to Karur to monitor the situation. He will likely reach the hospital around 1 am. After chairing an emergency meeting with senior ministers and officials at the Secretariat, Stalin announced a solatium of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of the deceased. He also constituted a Commission of Inquiry headed by Justice Aruna Jagadeesan, a retired judge of the Madras High Court.

While several leaders including President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several political party leaders expressed serious concern over the tragedy, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) founder and actor Vijay was yet to react to the incident. He left by a special flight from Tiruchi.  

Earlier in the evening Health Minister Ma Subramanian confirmed 29 persons were brought dead to the Karur Government General Hospital and over 50 others were undergoing treatment. Independent reports from the ground suggested at least 33 were dead.

The Karur Government General Hospital was overflowing with the arrival of patients and wailing relatives. Subramanian said 24 doctors from neighbouring Tiruchi district and 20 doctors from Salem were being rushed to Karur to handle the situation. 

Chief Minister M K Stalin, who expressed serious concern over the development, directed Health Minister Ma Subramanian and School Education Minister, local legislators and the district administration to monitor and handle the tragedy on a war-footing. Stalin is expected to visit Karur on Sunday.

The stampede occurred around 7.30 to 8 pm when Vijay, who is the reigning superstar of Tamil cinema, arrived to address a gathering of thousands of supporters and curious onlookers that had been waiting at the spot since morning. Vijay, the founder of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), had been undertaking a roadshow of sorts, to select districts, every Saturday. The Karur visit was his third such weekend show. Although he was supposed to address the crowd at the spot at 3 pm, he arrived there around 7.15 pm after travelling in his campaign caravan from the neighbouring Namakkal district, where he addressed a meeting earlier in the day. 

Since his first roadshow in Tiruchi three weeks ago, a sea of supporters had been turning up to see Vijay. However, far from directing his party office bearers to regulate the crowd, the actor seemed to bask in the glory of being a crowd puller and inching his way to the designated spot. 

On Saturday evening, by the time Vijay arrived in Karur, many were dehydrated and even as he was speaking some of those who had suffocated and struggled to breathe were being rushed to a couple of ambulances waiting in the vicinity. Vijay himself threw water bottles to people in the crowd. However, soon after he delivered a short speech and left the venue, moving scenes began to unfold at the Government Hospital with people carrying children in arms and adults in stretchers. There were reports of several children being separated from their parents in the melee. 

Former Minister Senthilbalaji, the local legislator, who was the centre of Vijay’s political attack, was among the first to rush to the hospital to oversee the treatment.