Chennai: A Commission of Inquiry, headed by retired Madras High Court judge Justice Aruna Jagadeesan, on Sunday commenced probe into the “crowd crush” at Karur, which claimed 40 lives including nine children and 17 women, during actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam leader Vijay’s rally the previous night.
While 39 of the victims were “brought dead” to the Government Hospital in Karur, one person succumbed on Sunday. While 50 persons were convalescing at the hospital, over 60 others were undertaking treatment at different private hospitals in the district.
Chief Minister M K Stalin, who air-dashed to Tiruchi and headed to Karur in the wee hours of the day, refused to put the blame on anyone and instead said the Commission will probe into and action will be taken on its report.
Karur Collector Thangavel told journalists Mr Stalin had ensured 114 doctors and 23 nurses were rushed to Karur within hours of the tragedy from Tiruchi, Namakkal, Salem, Dindigul, Madurai and Coimbatore to treat the injured. Besides, Collectors from Dindigul and Tiruchi were asked to join their Karur counterpart in overseeing the operations. With 16 forensic experts being rushed to the district from different parts, the protocol of undertaking autopsies only during day time was given a goby. Due to the scale of the tragedy, the authorities ensured the autopsies were conducted overnight and the bodies handed over to waiting relatives.
Several heart-rending scenes played out at the Karur Government Hospital on Sunday as wailing relatives to recount their woes of losing near ones. Among those dead were five members of a village – Emoor Puthur and a young man who had recently got engaged. A mother and daughter were among those killed. Several of the dead hailed from other districts, and had come to catch a glimpse of the top hero.
Actor Vijay, who had faced criticism for returning to Chennai, instead of visiting the hospital, issued a statement laced with emotion and announced a compensation of Rs 20 lakh to each of the deceased and Rs 2 lakh to those injured. Meanwhile, the Karur Town Police booked his party’s general secretary ‘Bussy’ N Anand, joint general secretary Nirmal Kumar and the Karur unit secretary in connection with the tragedy.
Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Davidson Devasirvatham said a detailed investigation would be conducted into the circumstances leading to the tragedy. He insisted the police had given adequate bandobust and denied stone pelting at the meeting.
Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami, however, alleged shortcomings in security arrangements had led to the loss of human lives. BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran sought an inquiry by a Supreme Court bench. Meanwhile, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court will on Monday hear a petition from Vijay’s party seeking a CBI probe into the incident.
