Stampede at Vijay’s Karur rally: Delay, blackout, heat, water bottles — what we know so far

Dubai: A rally by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief and actor-turned-politician Vijay in Karur turned tragic Saturday night, leaving at least 38 people dead, including children and women and more than 40 injured.

While officials have ordered an inquiry, multiple factors appear to have converged to cause the disaster, according to Indian media reports.

1. The crowd far exceeded estimates

• Organisers told police they expected 10,000 attendees, but officials now say 27,000–30,000 people gathered.

• Police had rejected the party’s first choice of venue (Karur lighthouse roundtana) as too narrow, but the alternate site also proved inadequate.

• The crowd swelled as the day wore on, with no proper barricading or controlled entry points.

2. A six-hour delay worsened the situation

• Permission was sought for a rally between 10am and 3pm. Vijay was expected to arrive by 12:30 pm.

• Crowds began gathering from late morning, but the actor reached only around 7:40 pm, after campaigning earlier in Namakkal.

• By evening, many had been standing for hours in the heat without food, water, or shade. Frustration and fatigue grew.

3. Heat and overcrowding

• Several people fainted in the afternoon itself as temperatures rose in the packed venue.

• Videos showed Vijay throwing water bottles into the crowd from his campaign bus to ease the suffering.

• He reportedly pleaded, “Police please help,” after a child went missing in the melee.

• 3a. Blackout sparked panic

• A power cut during Vijay’s speech caused confusion.

• A witness told Puthiyathalaimurai TV from a hospital ward that when the lights went out, people couldn’t hear him and surged forward, desperate to catch his words.

• In the rush, several fainted victims had to be carried to ambulances.

4. The trigger: Surge towards Vijay’s bus

• The stampede began around 7:45pm when a group of supporters fell while trying to get closer to Vijay’s vehicle as he addressed the crowd.

• The fall caused panic, and in the crush that followed, people were trampled.

• Even ambulances stationed nearby could not push through the dense crowd immediately, delaying medical aid.

5. Emergency response was overwhelmed

• The Karur Government Hospital summoned all doctors to handle the influx of victims.

• Additional medical teams were dispatched from neighbouring districts, but several died before reaching care.

• Police and volunteers struggled to control the surging crowd, with rescue operations taking hours.

6. Political reactions and inquiries

• Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin ordered an immediate judicial inquiry headed by retired Justice Aruna Jagadeesan.

• He announced Rs1 million ex gratia for families of the deceased and Rs100,000 for those critically injured.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief, calling the incident “deeply saddening.”

• Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin cancelled a foreign trip to return and oversee relief.

7. Questions over TVK’s rally culture

• This is not the first time Vijay’s rallies have caused alarm. His debut rally in Trichy earlier this month saw traffic frozen for six hours as supporters clogged streets.

• The Madras High Court had previously warned that TVK rallies posed safety risks, and police had imposed 23 conditions on such events, including advisories for vulnerable groups to stay away.

• Many of these rules were openly flouted: children, infants, and the elderly were present in Karur despite warnings.

While Vijay’s late arrival intensified restlessness, experts and officials agree the stampede was the result of poor planning, overcrowding, lack of crowd control and inadequate amenities. The judicial inquiry is expected to focus on both organisational lapses and systemic failures in enforcing safety protocols.