A Karur stampede victim has moved the Madras High Court to stop Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and its leader Vijay from holding rallies until the tragedy is fully investigated and safety measures ensured. The plea cites gross mismanagement and violation of citizens’ right to life.
Chennai: A man who was injured in the September 27 stampede at the political rally of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) founder and actor-politician Vijay has approached the Madras High Court with a plea.
He has requested the court to stop the Tamil Nadu Director General of Police (DGP) from giving permission for any further rallies, public meetings or political gatherings by Vijay and his party until the Karur tragedy is fully investigated, responsibility is fixed, and strict safety rules are put in place.
The petitioner, Senthilkannan, said he wants to join as a party in the case already filed by TVK. In its petition, TVK had sought a direction to the DGP to instruct police officers across Tamil Nadu to grant permissions for conducting political campaigns led by Vijay between September 20 and December 20, 2025, based on TVK’s representation dated September 9, 2025.
However, Senthilkannan argued that the Karur incident was not just an unfortunate accident but was due to negligence and poor planning.
According to him, the tragedy happened because of
“reckless planning, gross mismanagement, and complete disregard for the safety of the public.”
He further alleged that the organisers allowed people to gather without control, did not set up enough barricades, and even placed the campaign vehicle in a way that triggered a dangerous crowd surge.
He pointed out that the Karur Town Police Station has already registered an FIR, recording the deaths and injuries.
The case has been filed under different provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, including Section 105 and Section 106, which he said highlight the seriousness of the criminal liability involved.
Senthilkannan submitted that the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution of India is supreme and cannot be put at risk. He argued that while Article 19 gives people the right to assemble, the Constitution also allows reasonable restrictions in the interest of public order, morality, and safety.
According to him, the Karur tragedy has shown that if political rallies are held without regulation, it can lead to disastrous results like loss of life and serious injuries.
He said the State has a positive obligation to protect citizens by taking preventive measures and by refusing permissions for rallies where there is an obvious threat to life and public order.
He added that allowing further rallies by Vijay and TVK at this point would
“amount to placing countless other lives at peril.”
He strongly emphasised that public trust in the government and its machinery will collapse if, after the deaths of 40 innocent people, no strict steps are taken to prevent such tragedies in the future.
Quoting a well-known principle, he said,
“justice must not only be done but must also be seen to be done.”
He added that unless the High Court issues preventive orders, the promise of Article 21 – the protection of life – will be betrayed.
The petitioner acknowledged that the government had announced ex-gratia compensation and appointed a Commission of Inquiry under Justice Aruna Jagadeesan.
But he said these were not enough to prevent another disaster.
He argued that,
“Unless strict directions were issued to forbear the DGP from granting permissions for further political rallies by the same party and leader until accountability was fixed and adequate safety mechanisms were enforced, another tragedy of equal or greater magnitude may occur.”
On Sunday evening, senior advocate G Sankaran, appearing for the petitioner, made a request before Justice N Senthil Kumar to urgently take up the petition for hearing. However, since the case was not numbered yet, it could not be heard.
Background
In the background of ongoing legal matters, the Madras High Court on Friday issued notice to TVK leader Vijay on an appeal filed by the Chennai-based trust Thondai Mandala Saandror Dharma Paribalana Sabai.
The appeal challenges an earlier order by a single judge, which had declined to restrain TVK from using its party flag. A division bench comprising Justices G Jayachandran and M Sudheer Kumar posted the matter for further hearing after six weeks.
Thondai Mandala Saandror Dharma Paribalana Sabai had alleged trademark and copyright infringement by TVK and had filed an application arising from a civil suit seeking to restrain TVK from using its flag.
The single judge who heard the application on August 18 had declined to restrain TVK, prompting the Sabai to file the present appeal for review.
This case and the ongoing probe into the Karur stampede highlight the complex intersection of political activity, public safety, and legal accountability in Tamil Nadu.
TVK’s move to request a suo motu investigation reflects the party’s insistence on independent scrutiny, while the High Court’s urgent mention underscores the judiciary’s proactive approach to matters affecting public welfare.
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