Vijay’s TVK sought power cut before deadly rally stampede, letter reveals amid mounting blame game

Dubai: Actor-politician Vijay’s political debut has been shaken by one of Tamil Nadu’s deadliest rally tragedies, with a leaked letter showing that his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) requested a temporary power shutdown during his Karur event — a rally that ended in a stampede killing 41 people and injuring over 60.

The tragedy has ignited a political storm, with competing narratives over what triggered the chaos. Survivors, government agencies, and TVK insiders are now locked in a bitter blame game, as investigators comb through conflicting accounts.

Meanwhile, TVK has filed a writ petition in the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court seeking to transfer the Karur rally stampede probe from state police to the CBI.

The party alleged the tragedy was “motivated by DMK and its functionaries.” The plea will be heard on October 3. Chief Minister MK Stalin warned against spreading rumours on social media, urging restraint. TVK chief Vijay earlier announced ₹20 lakh for victims’ families, while PM Modi and Stalin also declared compensation packages.

Officials from the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (EB) confirmed that TVK had formally asked for a brief power outage at the Veluchamipuram rally site on September 27, according to India Today. The letter, signed by party representatives, requested that power be cut “only for the specified time when the leader is speaking, considering the safety of the public,” citing the risk of large crowds climbing onto rooftops and treetops.

The EB, however, said it rejected the request. “Uninterrupted power supply was provided,” one official told NDTV. “Before Vijay’s arrival, supply was cut briefly to disperse people on rooftops and treetops, but it was restored immediately.”

On the ground, eyewitnesses paint a different picture. Vinod Kumar, who lost his sister-in-law and her two children, told India Today there was a blackout lasting nearly half an hour. “Power went out between 7 and 7:30 pm, just before Vijay’s arrival. The crowd surged forward in the darkness. My sister-in-law and her two children, aged 11 and 7, died on the spot from suffocation,” he said. Postmortem reports confirmed death due to asphyxiation.

Other attendees recalled similar scenes of panic, with hundreds pushing forward in near-darkness, desperate to catch a glimpse of the actor-turned-politician. Several fainted and were rushed to hospitals, while others were trampled in the crush.

The Tamil Nadu government has dismissed claims of an official power cut. The Fact Check Unit said in a post on X: “Although the TVK party had requested a power supply interruption, no such power cut occurred. The brief dimming of a few lights was solely due to a generator issue in the party’s arrangements.”

Senior district officials, including the collector and ADGP, reiterated that there was no state-ordered blackout. They argue that the EB’s rejection of TVK’s request proves the administration was not responsible.

TVK insiders allege foul play, accusing the police and local politicians of conspiring against Vijay. “The incident was engineered with the illicit connection of goondas,” a party source claimed. Posters condemning Vijay — some depicting him with bloodstained hands — have also surfaced in Karur, highlighting the public anger.

The controversy comes as Vijay has tried to position himself as a clean alternative in Tamil Nadu politics, launching TVK earlier this year to much fanfare. His foray into full-time politics, however, has quickly turned into a crisis management exercise.

The Karur rally stampede has now left 41 people dead, including 18 women and 10 children. Most victims were from Karur, with others from neighbouring districts. Over 60 were treated in hospitals for injuries ranging from fractures to breathing difficulties.

The state government has ordered a probe, while the Madras High Court heard a petition on Sunday seeking to restrain TVK from conducting further rallies until the inquiry is completed. Justice N Senthilkumar, who heard the urgent plea, has asked the administration to file a detailed response.

Compensation has been announced from multiple quarters. Vijay pledged ₹20 lakh for the families of the dead and ₹2 lakh for the injured. Chief Minister MK Stalin declared ₹10 lakh and ₹1 lakh respectively. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also extended relief, offering ₹2 lakh for the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured through the PM National Relief Fund.

The contradictions surrounding the Karur rally — TVK’s power cut request, eyewitness accounts of a blackout, EB denials, and the government’s insistence of uninterrupted supply — have deepened the political fallout.

For Vijay, one of Tamil Nadu’s most bankable film stars and now a political aspirant, the incident is both a humanitarian crisis and a political test. His image as a people’s leader is under intense scrutiny, as grieving families demand accountability and rivals sharpen their attacks.

As probes unfold and petitions mount, the Karur stampede is no longer just a tragic accident — it has become a flashpoint that may shape the future of Tamil Nadu’s newest political force.