Karur stampede case: Vijay faces 2nd round of questioning by CBI

TVK chief and actor-turned-politician Vijay is at the Central Bureau of Intelligence's (CBI) headquarters in New Delhi on Monday (January 19), for the second round of questioning in connection with the Karur stampede case.

After a break for Pongal in the week prior, he arrived in the morning at the agency’s headquarters on Lodhi Road in a fleet of luxury SUVs.

Post-Pongal interrogation

Vijay will be questioned by a team of officials, led by a Deputy Superintendent rank officer drawn from the Anti-Corruption unit of the agency, a PTI report said, quoting officials.

On January 12, he was questioned at the CBI headquarters for over six hours. He was asked to return last Tuesday. However, he cited the Pongal festival celebrated in Tamil Nadu, and sought another date.

Also read: CBI to CBFC: Are the screws tightening on Vijay? | Talking Sense With Srini

The CBI took over the case from an SIT of the tragic Karur Stampede that happened on September 27, 2025, following a Supreme Court order. The agency has been gathering evidence related to the incident, which claimed 41 lives and left over 60 injured in Tamil Nadu's Karur.

Vijay's 'not responsible' answer

In the first session, Vijay claimed he was ‘not responsible’ for the said stampede that had occurred during a political rally of his party, which he was the prime speaker of.

Also read: Vijay won’t blink: TVK slams BJP amid CBI heat and Jana Nayagan row

He also argued that he had asked the police for safe recommendations to hold the rally, and claimed he left the venue early to avoid further chaos.

Investigators are scrutinising his seven-hour delay in arrival and the fact that he continued his speech despite the tragedy unfolding on-site, with several videos on social media showing party cadres shouting for help amid the ongoing speech.

Finding the cause

The agency is also looking into the organisers of the political rally, whether any risk-assessment or crowd control plan was put in place, if basic amenities like drinking water, barricades and entry-exit routes were provided, as well as Vijay’s movements in his modified campaign vehicle and if that also contributed to the crowd worsening.

Also read: Karur stampede probe: Vijay faces around 100 questions in 6-hour CBI grilling

According to media reports, the CBI aims to corroborate Vijay’s statements with those of his driver, police records and those of administrative officers, attempting to determine the primary accountability for the crowd surge that saw around 25,000 people gather at a venue permitted for around only 5,000 party cadres.