A month after Karur stampede, TVK chief Vijay meets victims’ families

Exactly a month after a stampede at his rally in Tamil Nadu’s Karur left 41 people, including 10 children, dead, TVK chief Vijay met the victims’ families in Mahabalipuram on Monday (October 27).

The actor-politician’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) arranged the meeting at a resort where the party booked 50 rooms to enable him to personally meet the bereaved families and convey his condolences.

As many as 41 people lost their lives and over 60 injured in the stampede that occurred at the TVK meeting addressed by Vijay on September 27.

DMK leader slams Vijay

Photos posted on X by unofficial handles showed Vijay handing over cups (presumably of tea or coffee) to the family members of the Karur stampede victims. The authenticity of those photos could not be independently verified by The Federal. A handle claiming to be of the TVK’s Dindigul East unit posted on X that Vijay has assured the families that all expenses, including medical and educational, will be covered by the party.

Also read: Vijay drops Karur visit, set to meet stampede victims' kin in Chennai on Monday

The party, and Vijay in particular, have been facing massive flak for veritably abandoning the victims after the stampede and not even visiting their families for a month. Vijay spoke to the families in a virtual meeting earlier. Since then, efforts to visit them physically have hit logistical roadblocks.

DMK Spokesperson TKS Elangovan said, “The affected people are meeting Vijay today because they are coming to his place. Vijay has no courtesy to go to their houses and inquire about them and pacify them. Vijay’s politics is different. He wants to do politics from home and does not want to go to the people...”

Probe continues

The stampede on September 27 claimed the lives of at least 41 people and left several people injured. Among the 41 deceased, 18 were women, 15 men, five young girls, and five boys. Of the victims, 34 were from the Karur district, two each from the Erode, Tiruppur, and Dindigul districts, and one from Salem district.

The Supreme Court has already ordered the CBI to investigate the stampede. A bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and NV Anjaria also ordered a three-member committee, headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Ajay Rastogi, to monitor the CBI probe and ensure that the investigation is independent and impartial.

Also read: Vijay reaches out to Karur stampede victims' families through video calls

A special CBI team comprising Additional Superintendent of Police Mukesh Kumar and Deputy Superintendent of Police Ramakrishnan, under the leadership of IPS Praveen Kumar, has started the investigation.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has said a total compensation of Rs 4.87 crore has been issued to the families of victims. Earlier, Vijay said his party had transferred Rs 20 lakh to the families of the victims.

(With agency inputs)