Actor Rishab Shetty, who is currently enjoying the success of his latest film Kantara: Chapter 1, reacted to the tragic stampede during Tamil actor-politician Vijay's rally in Karur, which killed over 40 people. During one of his latest interviews, Rishab called the stampede a 'collective mistake' and said it is unfortunate that such incidents happen.
"If we like a hero or his character, we do hero worship. How can I comment on that (the stampede)? It's unfortunate when these accidents happen; around 40 people died there. I don't think it could be one person's mistake; maybe it was a collective mistake made by many. Maybe it could have been controlled. That's why we call it an accident," the actor-director told NDTV.
He added, "It was not intentional. We should take precautions. But who will control a mob? How can I comment on that? We can easily blame the police or government; they also have a responsibility. But sometimes they will also have trouble controlling the crowd."
On October 7, Vijay spoke to the families of people who were killed in the stampede through video call. During the call, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam chief expressed condolences to the bereaved families.
At least 41 people lost their lives in the stampede during the actor-turned-politician's rally. Over 60 people also reported sustained injuries.
An FIR has been filed in connection with the tragic stampede, holding the TVK chief responsible for the incident. According to the FIR, Vijay remained inside his campaign vehicle at the venue for an extended period, which caused overcrowding and unrest among the crowd. He is facing criticism from the ruling DMK government over the tragedy.
State police reported that over 30,000 people had gathered at Vijay's rally, while the venue reportedly had a capacity of only 10,000. Officials also noted that security guidelines were violated, and there were inadequate arrangements for food and drinking water.
Three members of Vijay's party have been booked in connection with the stampede. However, no FIR has been filed against the actor-turned-politician himself.
