CHENNAI: The September 27 rally held by the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in Karur, was marked by disarray and chaos that led to a fatal crowd crush leading to the death of 41 people, according to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin.
On Wednesday Stalin addressed the Karur tragedy in the State legislative assembly. “The tragic incident has shaken the hearts of the people of Tamil Nadu and caused immense shock and grief. I pay my deepest condolences to those who lost their lives,” he said and blamed the crowd management.
He charged that the delayed arrival of TVK president Vijay at the meeting venue in Karur was a major factor for overcrowding and the organisers failed to provide adequate facilities such as food, water, and toilets, especially for women.
Stalin told the Assembly that a total compensation of Rs 4.87 crore was issued to the victims’ families. “A One-Man Commission and an SIT were formed to investigate the incident, and a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is being drafted to prevent such tragedies in the future,” he added.
The CM informed the House that the State government acted swiftly and in accordance with the law following the tragic stampede at Velusamipuram. He expressed deep sorrow and condolences to the bereaved families and detailed the comprehensive measures undertaken by the administration.
The CM explained that the TVK’s Karur West district secretary had sought permission for several venues in Karur, but permission was denied for those locations due to traffic congestion and safety concerns. A permission sought on September 25, to hold the meeting near Lighthouse Corner or Uzhavar Sandhai, was also rejected due to crowd estimates and safety reasons. On September 26, he requested permission to hold the event at Velusamipuram on September 27, and permission was granted with 11 conditions, he said.
Elaborate arrangements involving 606 police personnel were made—far exceeding normal deployment for political events. The organisers had stated that 10,000 people would attend, but the turnout was much higher.
Stalin said though the meeting was scheduled for 3 p.m., the party’s announcement that its leader would arrive at noon led to early crowding. His eventual arrival at 7 p.m., seven hours late, aggravated the congestion.
The CM stated that essential facilities such as drinking water, food, and sanitation were not adequately arranged by the organisers. The crowd surge began when the campaign vehicle moved beyond the permitted area despite repeated police requests to halt. Panic and suffocation followed, leading to deaths and injuries.
Elaborate security arrangements were made under the supervision of the Karur Superintendent of Police. Three additional SPs, five DSPs, 18 Inspectors, 75 Sub-Inspectors, and armed police personnel, totaling 517 from Karur district, were deployed. Another 99 police personnel from other districts were also deployed. “This was a higher security deployment than what would normally be assigned to political meetings. The organisers had estimated a crowd of around 10,000 people, but anticipating a larger turnout, additional security arrangements were made,” Stalin pointed out.
The CM affirmed that all relief, medical, and investigative actions were lawful and transparent. He appealed to all political parties to ensure that such tragedies never recur, emphasising that human life is priceless.
The Chief Minister said the government acted immediately. “Health Minister Ma. Subramanian and senior officials rushed to Karur. I personally went there the same night to meet the affected families and console them. I could not stay at home after hearing of the tragedy. I visited those who were under treatment in the hospital, held discussions with doctors, and issued instructions. Ministers and officials from various departments also coordinated relief operations,” he said.
The first injured person was admitted to the Karur Government Medical College Hospital at 7.47 p.m., and following that, more than 200 were admitted for treatment. A total of 152 doctors, nurses, and medical assistants from various districts were deployed. Additional wards with 400 extra beds were set up in addition to the existing 700 beds.
A team of 24 doctors and 16 assistants conducted postmortems through the night with special permission, as the mortuary’s cold storage was insufficient. The first autopsy began at 1.45 a.m. on September 28, and the 39th autopsy concluded by 1.10 p.m, the same day. A total of 41 people – 13 men, 18 women, and 10 children – lost their lives. One person remains under treatment at the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital, while others have recovered, he said.
Stalin also recalled that rescue operations were carried out immediately by police, fire, and medical personnel, though two ambulance drivers were allegedly attacked by TVK cadres.
“In my 50 years of public life, I have organised and participated in numerous public events. All of us here, across political parties, have similar experiences. Such gatherings must be conducted in accordance with laws, norms, and discipline. When those are breached, it is the party workers and the people of Tamil Nadu who suffer. We should remember that those who died are our people,” Stalin said.
TVK party leader (Vijay) departed Chennai at 8:40 a.m. and reached Trichy at 9:25 a.m for the rally.
“The organisers, in their permission letter, had informed the police that the meeting would be held between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m. However, the party’s general secretary had announced through media and social media that their leader would arrive in Karur at 12 noon. As a result, people began gathering early, but the party leader arrived only at 7 p.m., seven hours later. This delay was a major factor behind the swelling of the crowd,” the Chief Minister said.
He pointed out that basic arrangements such as drinking water and food were not made for the large number of people waiting since morning. “All members of this House are aware that certain basic arrangements must be made by organisers for such gatherings. Those were not made in Karur that day,” he said. Recalling that the Leader of the Opposition had addressed a campaign meeting at the same venue two days earlier, on September 25, Stalin said it was well-organised and attended by about 12,000 to 15,000 people, with no untoward incidents. “In contrast, this event [the TVK rally] was marked by disarray,” he said.
As the area became overcrowded, the Karur DSP advised organisers to stop TVK leader’s campaign vehicle near Akshaya Hospital and address the crowd there. However, the organisers insisted on proceeding to the original venue despite several appeals from the SP. When the vehicle moved about 30 to 35 metres from Akshaya Hospital, the crowd surged forward, causing panic. Many women and children were caught in the crush, leading to suffocation, fainting, and injuries, Stalin said.
Some people tried to escape by breaking a tin sheet near a generator, and to prevent electrocution, the generator operator cut off the power supply. Upon noticing the injured, the police alerted ambulances, which arrived promptly to rescue the victims. However, two ambulance drivers were assaulted by TVK members, and an ambulance was damaged, disrupting rescue operations, Stalin said. Two FIRs were registered at the Karur Town police station, and investigations are under way.
The Supreme Court issued an interim order transferring the case to the CBI, and the state government will act according to the final verdict, Stalin told the Assembly.
Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly, Edappadi K Palaniswami, said the loss of lives could have been avoided had the police made appropriate security arrangements, keeping in mind how the crowd surged in the places where the TVK leader addressed earlier.
At one point in time, Transport Minister SS Sivasankar made a remark about police shooting out at the processionists in Thoothukudi during anti-Sterlite protests in 2018. Palaniswami led his party MLAs and sat at the well of the House. After the Speaker’s efforts to pacify the AIADMK members failed, he called in the Marshalls to evict them. However, Palaniswami led his colleagues in a walkout. Later, BJP floor leader Nainar Nagenthran also led his party MLAs into a walkout.
