Supreme Court orders CBI investigation into Karur stampede tragedy

The Supreme Court on Monday, 13 October, directed a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the tragic Karur stampede that claimed 41 lives on 27 September.

A bench comprising justices J.K. Maheshwari and N.V. Anjaria appointed former Supreme Court judge Ajay Rastogi to head a committee overseeing the investigation.

The order follows a plea filed by Tamil actor Vijay’s political party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), and others, seeking an independent probe under the supervision of the apex court. The plea argued that a fair and impartial investigation would not be possible if conducted solely by Tamil Nadu Police officers. TVK also raised concerns over a possible premeditated conspiracy that may have contributed to the stampede.

The petition had criticised the high court for forming a special investigation team (SIT) exclusively with state police officers and for making adverse remarks against the actor-politician and his party, suggesting they left the venue without expressing remorse.

The Supreme Court bench, which had reserved its verdict on 10 October, also agreed to hear BJP leader Uma Anandan’s plea challenging the high court’s refusal to order a CBI probe. Another BJP leader from Tamil Nadu, G.S. Mani, has similarly sought a central investigation.

Earlier reports indicated that the rally drew approximately 27,000 attendees, nearly three times the expected 10,000, and police pointed to a seven-hour delay by Vijay in arriving at the venue as a contributing factor to the tragedy.

The Supreme Court’s directive marks a significant step towards an independent investigation into the incident, as families of the victims and political parties await accountability for the disaster.

With PTI inputs