Anger mounts in Tamil Nadu after 38 die in a stampede at actor Vijay’s rally. CM Stalin announces probe, relief, and accountability measures.
BY PC Bureau
September 28, 2025 — A campaign rally by actor-turned-politician Joseph Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in Karur district turned into one of Tamil Nadu’s worst public tragedies on Saturday evening. At least 38 people — including eight children and 16 women — were killed in a stampede, while more than 70 others remain hospitalized.
Families crowded outside overflowing hospitals through the night, as anger mounted over Vijay’s decision to leave the scene without meeting victims’ kin. The incident has triggered a political storm, with Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announcing a judicial probe and ₹10 lakh compensation for each bereaved family.
From Rally to Rampage
The rally at Veluchamipuram grounds, part of Vijay’s aggressive push into the Kongu region ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, drew far beyond the approved capacity of 10,000. Police estimated nearly 50,000 supporters packed into the 1.2 lakh sq. ft. venue, many standing for hours in the blazing sun.
Vijay arrived after dusk, attacking the ruling DMK over corruption and stalled projects. Around 7:30 p.m., as his speech reached its peak, a sudden surge in the crowd triggered chaos. Witnesses described people being crushed in the scramble for a glimpse of their “Thalapathy.”
“The crowd became uncontrollable; people were pushing from all sides, and screams filled the air,” said Rajesh Kumar, a TVK volunteer, outside Karur Medical College. With roads jammed, ambulances struggled to reach victims, many of whom died of asphyxiation.
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Health Minister Ma. Subramanian confirmed that six of the dead were children under 12. Over 30 doctors were rushed in from nearby districts to assist. “We have no shortage of beds, but the emotional toll on families is immense,” said Director of Medical Education Dr. R. Suganthy Rajakumari.
Vijay’s Response Sparks Anger
Midway through his address, Vijay threw water bottles into the crowd in an attempt to calm the situation, but the crush continued. Later, in a statement on X, he wrote in Tamil: “My heart is shattered; I am writhing in unbearable pain and sorrow that words cannot express.”
However, outrage spread when videos showed him leaving Trichy airport in a chartered jet shortly after the tragedy, without visiting hospitals. On social media, critics accused him of abandoning grieving families. “Shameless… he fled without facing the families,” one post read.
Breaking:
🇮🇳 Over 38+, Including Children, Killed In India, Stampede At Actor-Politician Vijay’s Rally.
Actor turned politician Vijay fled from the city after the deaths pic.twitter.com/j9tIUnPPbV
— World updates (@itswpceo) September 27, 2025
TVK leaders defended their chief, saying he was “overwhelmed” and coordinating aid remotely. But the optics — silence at the airport gates and no hospital visits — have intensified public fury.
Chief Minister Stalin rushed ministers to Karur “on a war footing” and ordered a Commission of Inquiry led by retired Justice Aruna Jagadeesan. Ex-gratia of ₹10 lakh was announced for each family, with district collectors mobilized for relief.
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DMK leaders questioned why TVK ignored safety norms, while AIADMK chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami postponed his Dharmapuri tour to visit Karur. Actor Rajinikanth said the “loss of innocent lives shakes the heart,” while Congress’s Priyanka Gandhi and Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan expressed solidarity.
National leaders, including President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sent condolences. BJP’s K. Annamalai demanded accountability, and Congress’s KC Venugopal called the tragedy “deeply disturbing.”
A Warning for Mass Rallies
The disaster echoes earlier crowd crushes in the state but is unprecedented in scale. Experts have pointed to poor barricading, lack of ventilation, and the risks of celebrity-driven mobilization.
As Karur grieves — temples offering special prayers, streets draped in black flags — the focus now is on responsibility. For Vijay, whose TVK aims to challenge both DMK and BJP in 2026, the rally meant to showcase his strength has left a trail of mourning.
Outside Karur Medical College, a mother searching for her daughter’s body summed up the mood: “He was our hope — now, where is he?”
