Karur (Tamil Nadu), September 30: A high-level delegation of BJP and NDA leaders arrived in Karur on Tuesday to inspect the site of the tragic stampede that claimed 41 lives during a public event hosted by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader and actor Vijay on September 27.
The delegation included BJP MPs Hema Malini, Aparajita Sarangi (Bhubaneswar), Anurag Thakur, and others, who conducted an on-ground inspection of the incident site. According to eyewitness accounts, TVK’s Aadhav Arjuna reportedly informed Vijay that people were fainting in the crowd, prompting the actor to have water bottles thrown from his vehicle.
An eyewitness shared, "Aadhav Arjuna went up to Vijay and informed him that people were fainting. He immediately instructed that water bottles be thrown from the vehicle. But the local administration failed to manage the situation. The road was only 19 feet wide, and the vehicle itself took up 12 feet. After the commotion, Vijay ended his speech and left the venue. He was present for just 10 minutes."
Another witness described the chaos that followed, saying, "Within 3-4 minutes after Vijay began speaking, people started fainting. A commotion erupted, and when an ambulance arrived, it only caused further panic. People began running, and it took over an hour to clear the area. Many of those in the crowd were not locals. There were also questions about why the crowd was pushed towards a ditch and not the other side."
The delegation, which includes MPs Anurag Thakur, Tejasvi Surya, Braj Lal, Aprajita Sarangi, Rekha Sharma, and Shrikant Shinde (Shiv Sena), along with Putta Mahesh Kumar from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), has been tasked with investigating the stampede and submitting a detailed report on the causes of the tragedy. BJP MP Hema Malini is serving as the convenor of the committee.
In connection with the incident, Karur City Police have arrested Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam's (TVK) Karur West District Secretary, Mathiyazhagan. Paun Raj, a Karur town functionary who arranged the flagpoles and banners for the rally, has also been arrested for sheltering Mathiyazhagan. Furthermore, Chennai Police have arrested YouTuber and journalist Felix Gerald, who is also linked to the incident.
The stampede occurred during a rally where a large crowd gathered to hear Vijay speak. As the crowd grew chaotic, several attendees fainted and were rushed to nearby hospitals. Tragically, 41 people lost their lives, including 18 women and 10 children.
Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, along with Union Minister L. Murugan and Tamil Nadu BJP chief Nainar Nagenthran, visited the victims' families earlier in the day. Meanwhile, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has set up a one-member commission, led by retired High Court judge Aruna Jagadeesan, to investigate the incident. The Chief Minister also emphasized the importance of political parties and public organizations adhering to strict guidelines when organizing large gatherings.
Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman called for the establishment of a standard operating procedure (SOP) for crowd management at public events, emphasizing the need for more organized and accountable event planning to prevent such incidents in the future.
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