The tragic stampede at actor-turned-politician Vijay’s rally in Karur, Tamil Nadu, on Saturday has triggered intense debate about who bears responsibility for the disaster that claimed over 30 lives, including women and children, and left dozens injured.
Multiple stakeholders have been scrutinised, with allegations and counterclaims adding layers of complexity to this heart-rending incident.
At the forefront is the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) led by Vijay himself, who attracts massive crowds wherever he campaigns. The event at Karur reportedly drew up to 30,000 to 35,000 people, thrice the permitted capacity of about 10,000.
Vijay arrived more than six hours late, causing restlessness and swelling of the crowd as people waited for long hours in limited space. While Vijay halted his speech and called for calm when people began fainting, critics say the rally’s management failed profoundly in crowd control and emergency readiness.
Social media saw calls demanding that Vijay bear accountability for poor planning and the tragic consequences of what many called a “deliberate mobilisation of huge crowds”.
On the government side, the ruling DMK and state police have also been criticised, especially by opposition parties and BJP leaders. They allege “gross negligence” in police planning and deployment.
BJP’s K Annamalai pointed to the police’s failure to accurately estimate the attendance, select an appropriate venue, and deploy enough officers to manage security and crowd safety. There were also reports of a power outage during the rally, which allegedly worsened the situation and panic.
Critics accuse the DMK government of preferential security arrangements favouring their own party rallies while neglecting those of opposition parties, including the TVK. The Madras High Court had earlier flagged concerns over safety lapses in TVK events, ordering uniform safety protocols and accountability, warnings many feel were ignored, culminating in this catastrophe.
Police have described the stampede as triggered by a crowd surge following a fall at a bottleneck spot near the stage barricades. Volunteers and police reportedly failed to intervene swiftly as people fainted and trampled each other.
Ambulances faced difficulty moving through the massed crowds, delaying critical aid. The administrative machinery is now rushing relief, with Chief Minister M K Stalin announcing Rs 10 lakh compensation to the family of each individual who lost life in the incident.