Today, On 7th October, BJP leader Uma Anandan has approached the Supreme Court after the High Court refused to order a CBI probe into the Karur Vijay Rally stampede. Chief Justice BR Gavai agreed to list the case for hearing on October 10.
The Supreme Court became involved in the ongoing controversy surrounding the Karur stampede in Tamil Nadu, with an appeal filed on Tuesday against a Madras High Court ruling that denied a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry.
The appeal, presented by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Uma Anandan, was brought before Chief Justice of India BR Gavai, who agreed to schedule the case for October 10, Friday.
The stampede occurred on September 27 during a rally organized by the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party in Veluswamypuram, where party founder and actor Vijay was campaigning.
Reports indicate that the rally was authorized for approximately 10,000 attendees; however, the actual turnout was significantly higher, with estimates ranging from 25,000 to 60,000 people.
Many attendees arrived early and waited for hours in the heat without adequate water or facilities. The situation worsened due to narrow roads, electricity outages, poor crowd management, and escape routes obstructed by ropes, barricades, and hoardings.
The stampede resulted in the deaths of at least 41 individuals, including women and children, with numerous others injured.
In the aftermath, an FIR was lodged against several TVK officials (excluding Vijay) on charges including culpable homicide not amounting to murder, due to their failure to ensure safety and misrepresentation of the expected crowd size and venue arrangements.
Earlier, On October 3, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court declined to order a CBI investigation into the incident.
A Bench comprising Justices M Dhandapani and M Jothiraman observed that the Tamil Nadu Police’s inquiry was still in its early stages and noted that the petitioners requesting a CBI probe were not among the stampede victims.
The High Court remarked,
“If aggrieved persons come to this court, we will rescue. Who are you? Don’t treat this court as the political arena. If, in the investigation, something goes wrong, you come. This is the initial stage,”
The court acknowledged the State government’s commitment to prohibiting any rallies or meetings near state or national highways until Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are established.
This decision led to the current appeal in the Supreme Court.
Notably, the principal bench of the Madras High Court had previously issued a separate order to establish a special investigation team to look into the incident.
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