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The Supreme Court connected Monday (October 13, 2025) ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)-led probe into the Karur stampede successful Tamil Nadu, which claimed astatine slightest 41 lives during a rally organised by actor-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) connected September 27.
A Bench of Justices J.K. Maheshwari and N.V. Anjaria directed the constitution of a three-member committee, headed by erstwhile Supreme Court justice Justice Ajay Rastogi, to show the advancement of the investigation. The committee volition besides comprise 2 Indian Police Service (IPS) officers of the Tamil Nadu cadre who are not natives of the State.
“An impartial probe is the close of each citizen,” the tribunal observed, portion noting that the substance progressive citizens’ cardinal rights. The Bench said it was handing implicit the probe to the CBI and mounting up the committee “to allay the concerns of the parties.”
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The sheet has been authorised to devise its ain process nether the supervision of Justice Rastogi. The CBI has been directed to taxable monthly advancement reports to the committee. The 2 IPS officers, not beneath the fertile of Inspector General of Police (IGP), volition beryllium selected by Justice Rastogi.
The bid came connected a petition filed by the TVK, challenging the Madras High Court’s determination to represent a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident, contempt the archetypal plea seeking lone a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for governmental rallies.
During Friday’s (October 10, 2025) hearing, portion reserving its verdict, the apical tribunal had questioned the propriety of the High Court’s decision. “We are incapable to recognize however this bid was passed? How did the azygous Bench successful the Chennai Bench proceed with the substance erstwhile the part Bench successful Madurai was considering the matter? In my acquisition of implicit 15 years arsenic a judge, a azygous Bench holds backmost if the part Bench has taken cognisance,” Justice Maheshwari had remarked.
The Tamil Nadu authorities defended the SIT, stating that it was formed by the High Court and not astatine the State’s behest. It added that the officers included successful the probe were known for their honesty and independence, and determination was “no crushed to question them.”
The stampede occurred amid overcrowding astatine the TVK rally, which drew acold much attendees than anticipated. While support had been sought for astir 10,000 participants, constabulary estimates placed the turnout person to 25,000. Preliminary reports cited mediocre assemblage absorption and inadequate facilities, including the lack of drinking water, arsenic contributing factors.
An FIR was registered astatine the Karur Town Police Station, naming TVK’s Karur (North) territory caput Mathiyazhagan, wide caput Bussy Anand, and associated wide caput C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar nether Sections 105 (culpable homicide), 110 (attempt to perpetrate culpable homicide), and 125 (endangering beingness of others) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
