Karur stampede: What triggered the chaos

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In this September 29, 2025 photo, a pistillate   looks astatine  a poster showing faces of radical   who died successful  a stampede during a rally by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam person  Vijay successful  Karur connected  September 27, 2025.

In this September 29, 2025 photo, a pistillate looks astatine a poster showing faces of radical who died successful a stampede during a rally by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam person Vijay successful Karur connected September 27, 2025. | Photo Credit: Reuters

The predictable blasted crippled has begun implicit the stampede that took spot connected September 27, 2025 successful Karur territory of Tamil Nadu. The decease toll astatine the stampede, which occurred astatine an overcrowded roadshow held by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) laminitis and histrion Vijay, has climbed to 41.

The communal refrain among the radical is that “it was a calamity waiting to happen”. Critics of the DMK authorities person pointed a digit astatine the administration, claiming that the constabulary failed to allocate a due venue for the show. The police, successful turn, person argued that TVK organisers had asked support for a rally of 10,000 people, but that an estimated 25,000-27,000 radical arrived astatine the venue. This is simply a mediocre excuse, fixed the turnout astatine Mr. Vijay’s erstwhile roadshows and the unrestrained behaviour of his followers. But Mr. Vijay and the lawsuit organisers are arsenic to blame. They person inactive not grasped the analyzable logistics of assemblage mobilisation and information management.

Mr. Vijay, who harbours ambitions of becoming the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, reached the venue respective hours down schedule. By that time, the assemblage was already bursting astatine the seams. Upon realising that the concern had got retired of hand, the histrion developed acold feet. Without checking what had happened to the radical who had thronged determination to spot him, Mr. Vijay abruptly ended his code and rushed to Chennai by a chartered flight.

On reaching the superior city, Mr. Vijay refused to talk to the media astatine the airport. He was expected to react, but helium issued lone a little connection connected societal media, agelong aft the calamity had drawn nationalist attraction and prompted responses from the President, the Prime Minister, the Chief Minister, and different leaders. “I americium languishing successful symptom and grief which cannot beryllium expressed successful words,” helium posted. Though helium announced ₹20 lakh each to the families of the dead, and ₹10 lakh for the injured, helium missed the accidental to amusement enactment successful the look of adversity.

Tragedies bash hap erstwhile crowds crook retired successful larger numbers than expected, and determination person been rather a fewer instances of these crossed India. However, governmental parties successful Tamil Nadu person mastered the creation of organising mega events without causing casualties. The AIADMK, the DMK, and the Left parties each program events meticulously. They often administer h2o bottles and supply snacks and nutrient packets successful immoderate cases. These measures forestall dehydration, which is apt to hap successful a State wherever the prima is often highly harsh.

Mr. Vijay, who is caller to politics, has intelligibly failed to larn these lessons. Worse, the actor, who successful galore ways is liable for the tragedy, fled the country alternatively of staying successful Tiruchi oregon a adjacent municipality and visiting the victims.

The authorities excessively is accountable. It should not person permitted him to code a rally lasting successful the mediate of a road, particularly considering the density of vehicular postulation and his immense popularity arsenic an actor. Such a mode of connection is simply a nationalist nuisance successful tiny towns specified arsenic Karur. Political rallies should beryllium held extracurricular metropolis oregon municipality limits.

At the aforesaid time, it is besides existent that if the constabulary oregon medication had denied support for his roadshow, Mr. Vijay — whose superior people is the DMK authorities and who has been saying that the 2026 Assembly elections volition beryllium a contention chiefly betwixt his enactment and the DMK — would apt person made a large governmental contented of it.

The calamity volition present person a chilling effect connected Mr. Vijay. He volition person to deliberation hard earlier readying his adjacent determination oregon rally. His followers excessively whitethorn measurement information and different risks earlier participating successful his outreach programmes. The authorities has the close to contradict support for his roadshows.

The lawsuit besides erstwhile again exposes Tamil Nadu’s craze for movie personalities. Despite gangly claims of achieving maturation and making strides successful acquisition and societal justice, the State is unsocial successful this regard. Anyone tin participate politics; however, lone successful Tamil Nadu bash each those who enactment successful films arrogate to themselves the close to participate the tract simply due to the fact that they had essayed roles successful which they were seen redeeming radical and warring bony and nail for justice. And erstwhile that happens, ideologically inclined radical and those dedicated to nationalist causes simply look on. They are near with nary prime but to propulsion their hands up successful despair.

Published - October 01, 2025 01:15 americium IST

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