A tragic stampede occurred on September 27, 2025, during a rally held by actor-politician Vijay in Velusamypuram, Karur, Tamil Nadu. The incident resulted in at least 41 deaths and over 100 injuries, overwhelming the local government medical college hospital.
Incident Details
The rally, organized by the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), was initially scheduled to begin at 8:45 AM but was delayed for several hours. This extended wait under the hot sun led to overcrowding and panic among attendees, culminating in a stampede when a portion of the crowd surged forward.
Among the casualties were 18 women, 13 men, and 10 children. Two patients died in the hospital after being admitted, including a 17-year-old and a 65-year-old. As of Monday, 51 injured people have been discharged, while 59 remain in care, 10 in intensive care units. Doctors provided psychiatric counselling to all patients and urged politicians to refrain from making them relive the traumatic events.
Political Reactions
The incident has sparked political controversy. DMK leader Saravanan Annadurai criticized the organizers for deliberately delaying the event to increase crowd size, leading to overcrowding and the subsequent stampede. He called for accountability from both the organizers and the administration.
In response, AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami dismissed the Aruna Jagadeesan inquiry commission as ineffective and called for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe. He criticized the ruling DMK for disregarding opposition concerns and accused them of spreading false propaganda under the name of student bodies.
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced that the state would draft safety guidelines for public gatherings to prevent such incidents in the future. He emphasized the importance of ensuring participant safety and issued a warning against the dissemination of rumors or malicious information in relation to the event.
Legal Actions
In the aftermath, two leaders of the TVK party were remanded to judicial custody until October 14, 2025, as part of ongoing legal proceedings related to the deadly event.
Public Sentiment
The tragedy has deeply affected the local community and the public at large. Discussions on platforms like Reddit reflect a mix of grief, anger, and calls for accountability. Many users expressed sorrow over the loss of innocent lives, particularly children, and criticized the event’s organization and crowd management.
In a video message, Vijay expressed his condolences, stating he was in “unbearable, indescribable pain” over the incident.
The Karur stampede has underscored the critical need for stringent safety measures and effective crowd management in large public gatherings to prevent such tragedies in the future.