Tamil Nadu stampede: TVK leader arrested, actor-politician Vijay named in FIR
Forty-eight hours after a stampede at a Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) rally in Karur killed 41 people, police have arrested TVK Karur West District Secretary Mathiyazhagan, holding him responsible for lapses that triggered the tragedy.
He has been booked under charges including attempt to murder, culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and endangering public safety.
Cases have also been filed against TVK’s General Secretary Bussy Anand and Joint General Secretary Nirmal Sekar.
According to the FIR, actor-politician Vijay himself has been named for “deliberate acts” that allegedly led to at least 11 deaths during the chaos.
30+ died in stampede during Joseph Vijay's political rally in Tamil Nadu.
— BALA (@erbmjha) September 27, 2025
And this shameless continued his speech even after the ambulance arrived. pic.twitter.com/HHFMEBYA6N
The complaint claimed that Vijay intentionally delayed his public appearance by nearly four hours despite being in Karur, in what police described as a display of political strength, leading to restlessness and uncontrollable crowd surges.
The FIR also accused Vijay of holding a roadshow without permission and creating “unnecessary expectations” among cadres, while ignoring repeated warnings from authorities.
On Saturday, over 25,000 people, more than double the expected turnout, gathered at the venue.
Many waited for hours in the scorching heat without food or water. As crowds surged, barricades gave way and people climbed tin sheds and trees, which collapsed, sending dozens tumbling and sparking panic.
At least 10 children and 18 women were among the 41 killed, hospital records show. Dozens more were injured.
Political fallout
The tragedy has sparked a political firestorm. TVK leader Aadhav Arjuna has petitioned the Madras High Court seeking a CBI probe and urging the government not to block Vijay from visiting victims’ families.
The party has alleged a conspiracy by the ruling DMK, a charge strongly denied by the state government.
Meanwhile, questions are also being raised about the police’s preparedness, including inadequate deployment, poor crowd-control measures, and underestimating the turnout.
In a statement, Vijay said he was “shattered and in inexplicable pain” over the loss of lives.
He announced a compensation of ₹20 lakh for the families of those killed and ₹2 lakh for the injured, and prayed for their speedy recovery.
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