TVK moves HC seeking independent probe into stampede as fatalities rise
KARUR, Sep 28: The toll in the stampede here rose to 40 after a man succumbed to injuries at the government hospital, a health official said on Sunday.
As the toll mounted, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhaga party led by actor-politician Vijay moved the Madras High Court Bench in Madurai seeking an independent probe into the Karur stampede.
Stopping short of alleging a conspiracy into the incident, TVK deputy general secretary Nirmal Kumar told reporters that the party had approached the high court bench with a plea for an impartial inquiry into the incident.
“The judge agreed to hear the case tomorrow at 2.15 pm. We will make official our statement thereafter,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Tamil Nadu Health Secretary P Senthil Kumar said 39 persons died and 67 persons were undergoing treatment as in-patients.
“In this unfortunate incident, 39 deaths have been reported–17 women, 13 men, 4 male children, and 5 female children.”
“The postmortem has been done for 30 (out of 39 deceased) and the bodies have been handed over to their families,” Senthil Kumar told reporters after visiting the patients at the GH.
On the admissions, he said 26 people were treated in the OPD and were discharged. And of the 67 admitted as in-patients, 2 were critical. All others were stable. One of the patients was shifted to the Madurai GH for further treatment.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF to be given to the kin of each deceased in the unfortunate incident.
The injured would be given Rs 50,000, he said in a post on the social media platform ‘X’.
TVK SEEKS CBI PROBE
Actor-politician Vijay led TVK on Sunday made a mention before Justice M Dhandapani of the Madras High Court to order CBI or Special Investigation Team probe into the tragic death of 40 people during a stampede at a rally held by the party on September 27 in Karur.
A group of advocates led by TVK’s advocates’ wing president S Arivazhagan went to the residence of Justice M Dhandapani on Greenways road here and made a mention.
In the alternative, they requested the court to initiate suo motu proceedings into the incident (death of 40 people due to stampede).
According to TVK party functionary Nirmal Kumar, the judge asked the advocates to file a petition before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court and it will be taken up for hearing on Monday at 2.15 pm.
VICTIM MOVES HC
A man injured in the September 27 stampede in the political rally of TVK founder Vijay on Sunday moved the Madras High Court with a plea to forbear Tamil Nadu DGP from granting permission to conduct any further public meetings by the party leader until Saturday’s fatal incident was fully investigated, responsibility fixed and effective safety protocols ensured.
The victim pleaded with the HC for a direction to the DGP from granting permission to conduct any further public meetings, rallies or political gatherings by TVK and its leader Vijay till such time.
In his petition, Senthilkannan sought to implead himself as a party to the petition filed by TVK, which sought a direction to the Director General of Police (DGP) to forthwith instruct all subordinate police officials throughout the State to consider and grant necessary permissions to it for conducting political campaigns led by Vijay across Tamil Nadu between September 20 and December 20, 2025 on the basis of the petitioner’s representation dated September 9, 2025.
Senthilkannan submitted that the tragedy was not a mere accident but the direct result of reckless planning, gross mismanagement, and complete disregard for the safety of the public.
The organisers permitted the crowd to gather without restriction, failed to provide adequate barricades, and positioned the campaign vehicle in a manner that provoked a dangerous surge. (PTI)
