Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam told the Madras High Court that a police lathicharge caused the Karur stampede killing 41 people. The DMK government dismissed the claim as “baseless.”
A tragic stampede in Tamil Nadu’s Karur district, which claimed the lives of 41 people last weekend, has now reached the Madras High Court. The matter was brought before the court by Tamil actor-turned-politician Vijay’s party, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).
The party has directly blamed the police for the incident, alleging that the sudden lathicharge by cops triggered panic in the crowd and led to the deadly stampede.
According to TVK’s submission in court, thousands of supporters had gathered in Karur to get a glimpse of their leader Vijay. The party claimed that the police mishandled the situation and acted without proper warning, causing chaos in the crowd.
The party alleged,
“When supporters were waiting to see their leader, Vijay, some from the crowd threw slippers. Without warning, the cops started lathicharging people which led to the stampede. Police failed to handle it in the right way,”
The MK Stalin-led DMK government, however, has strongly denied these allegations. The state told the court that there is no proof to back up the claim made by Vijay’s political outfit.
The government described the allegations as “baseless” and maintained that investigations so far have not shown any link between the police action and the tragic deaths.
The court was told by TVK that the supporters had been waiting peacefully, but the actions of the police created unnecessary panic and fear.
The DMK government, on the other hand, argued that the police were already managing a huge crowd and acted within their limits, stressing once again that no evidence has been found to connect their actions with the stampede.
Vijay himself was present at the rally in Karur on September 27 when the tragedy unfolded. As the crowd surged uncontrollably, he was forced to stop his speech midway.
Videos circulating on social media captured the actor-turned-politician tossing water bottles to supporters just moments before panic gripped the gathering.
Tamil Nadu’s Director General of Police (DGP) G. Venkataraman had earlier told reporters that the crowd management situation worsened because thousands had been waiting under the scorching sun for several hours without adequate food and water.
“The crowds started coming in from 11 am. He came at 7:40 pm. The people lacked sufficient food and water under the hot sun,”
the police chief said, adding that while the organisers had expected around 10,000 people, nearly 27,000 had turned up.
The aftermath of the stampede painted a grim picture. Shoes, slippers, crushed water bottles, torn party flags, broken poles, shreds of paper from party poppers, and pieces of clothing were seen scattered all over the rally ground.
Reacting emotionally to the deaths, Vijay issued a heartfelt statement:
“My heart is shattered at this tragedy.”
ALSO READ: CJI B R Gavai Honors Mahatma Gandhi on Gandhi Jayanti During Mauritius Visit
His party, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, has also announced financial relief, promising Rs 20 lakh to the families of each deceased victim and Rs 2 lakh for those injured in the incident.
The High Court is now hearing both sides on this sensitive issue, which has political as well as legal implications. While Vijay’s TVK has demanded accountability and pointed fingers at the authorities, the ruling DMK government has asked the court to dismiss the allegations on the ground that they are not supported by facts.
Click Here to Read Previous Reports on Stampede
FOLLOW US FOR MORE LEGAL UPDATES ON YOUTUBE
