'TVK rally death': Actor Vijay's speech at Namakkal goes viral
Tamil actor and TVK party leader Vijay, at a rally on Saturday, September 27, in Namakkal, addressed the crowd.
However, the focus quickly shifted when a tragic stampede at another TVK event in Karur resulted in fatalities.
Police warnings ignored as road was packed with banners
The Namakkal rally was packed onto a narrow road cluttered with unauthorized banners, despite police warnings to remove them.
Safety tips from a retired officer—like fencing off transformers—were mostly ignored.
Many attendees came without food or water, leading to fainting and injuries.
Writer Perumal Murugan highlights leadership lapses
Police were told to prevent riots but not manage crowds, so overwhelmed volunteers struggled with basic safety.
Writer Perumal Murugan called out these leadership lapses, noting that TVK general secretary 'Bussy' Anand only did a quick site check before leaving.
Local leaders ignored due to caste, political tensions
Murugan also pointed out that local leaders were ignored due to caste and political tensions.
This neglect meant over a hundred collapsed, with dozens hospitalized.
District secretary Sathish Kumar has been booked for the tragedy; his bail plea was denied.