At least 39 people have died, including eight children, and more than 150 have been injured after a stampede occurred on Saturday night during a political rally in the town of Karur, in the state of Tamil Nadu (in the south), during a massive campaign act of the popular actor converted in politician Vijay in the face of the state elections of the beginning of next year. Police have filed a complaint against their party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).
According to the first investigations, the panic unleashed when a group of attendees who had climbed a tree to see the politician better fell on the crowd, causing a chain reaction that resulted in the deadly stampede, the police indicate in a statement to the media.
The Government of Tamil Nadu has announced compensation for one million rupees (about 9,600 euros) for the families of each of the deceased and has opened a commission to investigate the causes of the event and purify responsibilities.
Tamil Nadu police have filed the complaint, the first step towards a possible accusation, against the leaders of the TVK Bussy Anand party, Nirmal Kumar and VP Mathiyalagan, and the investigation is in progress, explained the senior police officer V. Selvaraj in statements to the Reuters agency. “The TVK initially requested permission for a concentration of 10,000 people, but the real crowd was more than double,” he says.
Hello everyone who lives in my chest.
Untilled, the heart and mind are very heavy, thinking of what happened yesterday in Karur. In the great mood that loses our relationships, how to say the pain of my mind…
– TVK VIJAY (@tvkvijayhq)
Shortly after what happened, Vijay published an extensive statement in the social network X, to express its regret for what happened. “My heart and my mind are overwhelmed by deep sorrow. In the midst of the immense pain of losing our loved ones, I have no words to express the pain that my heart supports,” he lamented.
The campaign ceremony is part of the recent and very often entrance to Vijay’s politics, one of the biggest stars of Tamil cinema. Local sources had reported in recent weeks a climate of tension between their new formation and the state government for alleged restrictions to organize their public events, which attract crowds.
The unfortunate incident during a political rally in Karur, Tamil Nadu, is deeply saddening. My thoughts are with the families who have lost their loved ones. Wishing strength to them in this difficult time. Praying for a swift recovery to all those injured.
– Narendra Modi (@narendramodi)
The Indian prime minister, Naredra Modi, has said to be “deeply sad” for what happened, in a post published in X.
Those are a recurring tragedy in India, often linked to the massive influx of people in religious events, festivals and, as in this case, political rallies. The combination of huge population density, often inappropriate infrastructure and poor security planning creates a high -risk environment. Frequently, the trigger is a minor incident that generates an uncontrollable panic wave in confined spaces.
