Tamil Nadu: 38 dead in stampede at TVK chief Vijay’s rally in Karur; DMK calls it criminal negligence

NDTV reported, citing officials, that at least 46 people were injured in the stampede.

The grief of the victims’ families was heart-wrenching.

“This is unbelievable. The tragedy that has unfolded, you can't believe that three children have died and the way the parents of the three children are mourning their death, the visuals are so, so disturbing,” spokesperson of Tamil Nadu's ruling party DMK Saravanan Annadurai told NDTV.

The DMK leader held actor-turned-politician Vijay and the rally organisers responsible, claiming that attendees were made to wait for hours under the scorching sun.

"This is a deliberate ploy made by the organisers of this event... They (people) waited for almost six hours. They were all there. Why did they (Vijay and team) do this? They did this so that there would be mobilisation of crowds. This is a cheap ploy by the organisers and there was criminal negligence," Annadurai said.

"Whoever is responsible has to be arrested. And Vijay is culpable. He cannot escape culpability," he added.

Chief Minister MK Stalin described the tragedy as one that has "shaken the hearts of us all". Families of the victims will receive Rs 10 lakh each from the Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund.

"A one-person Commission of Inquiry, headed by Retired High Court Justice Mrs Aruna Jagadeesan, will be immediately constituted to conduct a thorough investigation and submit a report to the government," Stalin said.

The Chief Minister is travelling to Karur to meet families of the victims and the injured.

The stampede occurred after a fall triggered a surge in the crowd.

A senior officer estimated that "at least 30,000 people had gathered" at the venue, where Vijay was expected to speak following an earlier rally in Namakkal.

His arrival was delayed by over six hours, by which time the crowd had swelled uncontrollably.

"You (Vijay) are not even willing to follow the rules, and you want to become the chief minister. What a shame," Annadurai said.

This is not the first incident raising concerns over Vijay’s rallies.

Vijay’s debut rally in Trichy earlier this month caused massive congestion, turning a 20-minute journey from the airport to the venue into a six-hour traffic jam.

Vijay’s team, however, insists his campaign is unique, arguing that he is launching his electoral bid at the height of his acting career, leveraging his current popularity to convert fans into voters.