After a deadly stampede at Tamil Nadu’s Karur claimed 41 lives during actor-turned-politician Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar’s rally, local police have arrested Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) Karur West District Secretary V. P. Mathiyazhagan, holding him responsible for lapses that led to the tragedy.
Mathiyazhagan faces charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, attempt to commit culpable homicide, endangering life, and disobedience of orders, among other offences.
Senior TVK leaders, including General Secretary Bussy Anand and Joint General Secretary Nirmal Sekar, have also been booked.
The FIR, filed on a police complaint, names Vijay himself, alleging that his deliberate four-hour delay before appearing at the rally triggered restlessness in a crowd that had swelled to over 25,000—more than double the expected turnout.
Authorities say the actor-politician also held an unauthorised roadshow, violated conditions, and fuelled “unnecessary expectations” among supporters.
The stampede unfolded on Saturday as exhausted attendees, many without food or water under the scorching sun, surged forward. Barricades broke, makeshift structures collapsed, and panic spread.
Of the 41 victims, at least 10 were children and 18 were women.
Vijay, expressing himself “shattered and in inexplicable pain,” announced compensation of Rs 20 lakh (AUD 360,000) for the families of the deceased and Rs 2 lakh (AUD 36,000) for the injured.
In his first video statement, Vijay insisted neither he nor his organisers acted negligently, alleging instead that political rivals were conspiring to pin blame on TVK. he told the Chief Minister:
“If you want revenge, do anything to me. Don’t touch my people.”
The Tamil Nadu government has stressed that organisers failed to deploy sufficient volunteers and ignored repeated warnings, noting that the venue was approved only for 10,000 people.
Officials defended police preparedness but admitted the crowd far exceeded estimates.
Meanwhile, tensions deepened after a TVK branch secretary, Ayyappan from Villupuram, died by suicide, leaving behind a note accusing DMK MLA Senthil Balaji and the police of being responsible for the tragedy. TVK has echoed this charge in court, seeking a CBI probe and alleging official negligence.
Vijay vowed that despite the tragedy, “our political journey will continue with more strength and more fearlessness.”
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