Karur stampede: Petitioner claims Vijay's exclusion from FIR is political
What's the story
Actor-turned-politician Joseph Vijay's name has been excluded from the First Information Report (FIR) in connection with the recent Karur stampede, which claimed 41 lives, due to "political reasons." A litigant, P.H. Dinesh, has alleged this in a petition filed before the Madras High Court on Friday. Dinesh sought to restrain the Home Secretary and Director General of Police from granting permission for roadshows until guidelines or Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are formulated for such events.
Allegations
TVK is responsible for tragedy, claims petitioner
Dinesh, a resident of Villivakkam in Chennai, has filed an affidavit supporting his writ petition. He blamed the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party for the tragedy, stating it was caused by "careless planning and complete negligence by the organizers." He alleged that the crowd was misled into believing that Vijay would address them at Velusamypuram in Karur around noon when he actually arrived after 7:00pm.
Political blame game
Lack of basic amenities at event
Dinesh also pointed out the lack of basic amenities like drinking water and barricades at the event. He claimed that these oversights led to the stampede as people rushed to grab water bottles thrown by Vijay from his caravan. Although an FIR has been filed against TVK leaders, including general secretary N Anand and deputy general secretary CTR Nirmal Kumar, Dinesh alleged that Vijay's name was deliberately left out.
Legal action
Petitioner demands sops for public events
Dinesh has accused the police's action against TVK leaders of being an "eye-wash," alleging attempts to protect Vijay from criminal prosecution despite his direct involvement in the deaths. He claimed that such actions not only violate the rule of law but also deny justice to the families of the victims. The petitioner has also insisted on framing SOPs for public events, including risk assessment, crowd restrictions, strict adherence to time limits, and emergency evacuation plans.