TVK suspends Vijay's statewide tour after Karur stampede kills 41
What's the story
The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has suspended all public events of actor-turned-politician Vijay for two weeks. The decision comes in the wake of a tragic stampede at a party rally in Karur, which left 41 dead. The party announced the decision on X, saying: "In this situation where we are in pain and sorrow over the loss of our loved ones...public meeting program...for...next two weeks is being temporarily postponed."
Emotional response
'Never faced such a painful situation'
A day before, Vijay, who is also the party founder, expressed his grief over the incident in an emotional video message. He said he had "never faced such a painful situation" and explained why he didn't visit Karur immediately after the tragedy. "I didn't visit Karur as it would lead to an unusual situation. I will meet you (families of the victims and injured) soon," he said.
Direct appeal
CM sir, if you have a thought of seeking vengeance
Vijay also took a dig at Chief Minister MK Stalin and the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) after his party functionary Mathiyazhagan was arrested following the stampede. "Chief minister sir...if you have vendetta plans, do anything to me. Don't touch my leaders," he said. The stampede occurred when nearly 30,000 people gathered at a venue with a capacity for about 10,000. Tamil Nadu Police said security guidelines were violated and arrangements for food and drinking water were inadequate.
Accountability stressed
What FIR says
According to an FIR into the stampede, Vijay sat inside his campaign van in Velusamypuram in Karur for an extended period during his September 27 rally. "Instead of conducting the event on time, Vijay's entry....was delayed by four hours to show a massive crowd as a political statement, leading to thousands of people standing in the sun and getting exhausted," the FIR read. His bus also allegedly made unscheduled stops, disrupting traffic and violating crowd control measures, the police said.