‘Unbearable pain’: Vijay mourns loss of 38 lives in Karur stampede

In Karur, the sea of admirers who had gathered to glimpse their beloved star-turned-leader Vijay was met with heartbreak instead, as 38 lives were lost in a tragic stampede during a public meeting, Tamil Nadu DGP G. Venkataraman said on Sunday, 28 September.

In an early morning briefing, the police chief said the deceased included 12 men, 16 women, and 10 children.

“This is an unfortunate and deeply regrettable incident. As per the latest information, 38 persons have died,” Venkataraman told reporters.

Hours after the tragedy, TVK founder and actor Vijay on Saturday said he was in "unbearable pain" following the incident.

Avoiding the media at Tiruchirappalli and Chennai airports, Vijay responded on X: “My heart has broken, I am in unbearable, inexplicable pain and grief.”

He offered condolences to the families of those killed and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.

Following the tragedy, the Tamil Nadu government announced an ex-gratia of ₹10 lakh each for the families of the deceased. Chief minister M.K. Stalin expressed grief over the incident, directing that all possible medical assistance be provided to the injured and ordering a commission of inquiry into the stampede.

According to police, miscommunication about Vijay’s arrival time and lack of adequate arrangements contributed to the surge.

“Permission was sought for a meeting between 3 pm and 10 pm. However, the official Twitter handle of Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) mentioned he would arrive by 12 noon. People started pouring in from 11 am, but he came only at 7.40 pm,” the DGP explained.

With thousands waiting for hours in the hot sun without food or water, restlessness built up. A surge occurred when Vijay was accorded a welcome, though police managed to escort him into the venue safely.

“The organisers expected 10,000 people. In reality, about 27,000 gathered. Police arrangements were made for a crowd of 20,000,” Venkataraman said.

Asked whether only 500 police personnel were deployed, the DGP clarified that the venue was a public road.

“Greater deployment would have further reduced space for people. Two days ago, a major party’s rally was held here under similar arrangements,” he said.

To stabilise the situation, ADGP (Law and Order) Davidson Devasirvatham, three IGPs, two DIGs, ten SPs, and around 2,000 police personnel have now been deployed in Karur.

On whether there was a security lapse, Venkataraman said it was premature to assign blame.

“The government has already announced a commission of inquiry to probe the causes. Our intention is not to fix responsibility at this stage but to state the facts,” he said.

With PTI inputs