Statements of condolence and condemnation poured in, ranging from the Tamil Nadu government to the Union government, alongside relief announcements for the families of the deceased.
Published Sep 30, 2025 | 11:00 AM ⚊ Updated Sep 30, 2025 | 11:00 AM
Vijay addressing the rally minutes before the tragedy.
Synopsis: The stampede on 27 September at actor-turned-politician Vijay’s rally in Karur claimed the lives of 41 of his supporters and fans. While the ruling DMK refrained from naming Vijay or his party while responding to the tragedy, others used his name to slam him, extend support and bash the ruling party.
The stampede on 27 September at actor-turned-politician Vijay’s election campaign rally for his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in the Karur district of Tamil Nadu claimed the lives of 41 of his supporters and fans. More than 100 people were injured, and 50 others who were undergoing treatment were discharged and returned home on 29 September.
In the aftermath, statements of condolence and condemnation poured in, ranging from the Tamil Nadu government to the Union government, alongside relief announcements for the families of the deceased.
However, two distinct trends could be observed in these statements: On one side were those that refrained entirely from mentioning Vijay’s name or that of TVK; on the other, voices that openly rallied in support of Vijay even before any official inquiry had been completed. Let us look at these two strands in detail.
On the very night of the incident, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin rushed to Karur. Even before his arrival, he had already announced ₹10 lakh in compensation for the families of the deceased and appointed a one-member commission of inquiry headed by retired high court judge Aruna Jagadeesan.
When he addressed journalists in Karur early on the morning of 28 September, questions were raised about the rally itself and about the possible accountability of the TVK leadership.
However, Stalin avoided comment, saying, “Do not politicise this. I cannot answer questions framed in political terms,” effectively sidestepping any mention of Vijay or his party.
In his subsequent full-length statement as well, neither Vijay nor TVK was mentioned. Notably, on 29 September, Stalin released a video message on social media urging people not to spread false rumours and assuring that the government would stand by those affected in Karur. In that video, there was also no reference to Vijay or his party.
At the same time, he added a conciliatory note that seemed indirectly intended for Vijay: “No leader would ever expect their supporters or the public to lose their lives at a meeting.”
Within minutes of the tragedy, Karur MLA and former minister Senthil Balaji, and AIADMK leader and former minister MR Vijayabhaskar reached the spot.
Soon after, on the chief minister’s instructions, School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi and Health Minister Ma Subramanian visited the Karur Government Hospital. Videos of Anbil Mahesh breaking down in tears circulated widely.
On the morning of 28 September, Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, who had already left for Dubai, cut short his trip and rushed to Karur.
When asked about Vijay, even he avoided mentioning his name, saying only, “Ask him. Ask his party members,” without once uttering “Vijay” or “TVK.”
Similarly, DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, who arrived in Karur later that evening to meet the bereaved families, refrained from naming Vijay.
From day one, DMK ministers on the ground, the chief minister and his party colleagues, have stuck to one position: “Let the inquiry commission report be submitted, and action will be taken based on that.”
In contrast, the Opposition AIADMK took a different stance. Speaking in Karur, AIADMK General Secretary and Leader of the Opposition Edappadi Palaniswami accused the DMK government of double standards: “One set of rules for themselves, another for others.” He alleged that when DMK holds a rally, the entire district police force is deployed unnecessarily, but Opposition parties are denied even basic security measures.
Speaking about TVK leader Vijay, he remarked that “anything could have happened in this situation.” In particular, he pointed out that Vijay himself, without any reason, mentioned the presence of an ambulance at the meeting — something he had personally seen on television — and insisted that this issue must be investigated.
Former BJP state president Annamalai echoed these concerns, stating, “For any political party’s meeting, it is the responsibility of the police to properly assess expected turnout, provide a suitable venue, and deploy adequate security. Reports have also emerged of a power outage during Vijay’s meeting. Such negligence by the Tamil Nadu government and police is highly condemnable. While DMK deploys the entire district police force for its own events, it routinely fails to do so for opposition meetings.”
However, Annamalai clarified, “I will not say Vijay is the main accused. But he must step out of ‘weekend politics’ and act responsibly. Vijay is a celebrity, and huge crowds will gather to see him. Especially on a Saturday, women and children are bound to attend. He must plan accordingly. There should be no more weekend rallies. Act responsibly from now on. I do not accept the argument that Vijay is the prime culprit.”
He added that Vijay’s Karur rally was officially scheduled from 3 pm to 10 pm, giving him the flexibility to arrive at any time within that window.
Meanwhile, current BJP state president Nainar Nagendran said the Tamil Nadu government must take full responsibility. He criticised Vijay for not being present to console victims, asking, “Is simply announcing ₹20 lakh enough? How can someone absent from the ground act as a leader?” He further urged the Supreme Court to take up the matter suo motu.
Both AIADMK and BJP, along with TVK itself, have now demanded a CBI probe.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first to react, posting a condolence message on social media. Yet, he merely referred to the incident as one involving “a political party” — without mentioning Vijay or TVK. Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement also omitted Vijay’s name.
Reports circulated that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi spoke to Vijay over the phone, but the party has not confirmed this officially. In his public statement, Rahul also avoided naming Vijay.
Other Opposition leaders also weighed in. Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) leader Premalatha Vijayakant and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) leader Anbumani Ramadoss visited the injured at Karur Government Hospital on 28 September.
Premalatha criticised both Vijay’s late arrival and the failures of the government, including venue choice, police security and ambulance readiness.
Anbumani Ramadoss said, “While there may be lapses on multiple sides, the police are primarily responsible. To cover up their failures, various distractions are being created. The judiciary must appoint a commission and directly investigate.”
He also ridiculed DMK ministers for putting on emotional performances, saying, “The minister should be given an Oscar,” a thinly veiled swipe at Anbil Mahesh.
Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) coordinator Seeman, who, until now, had been a fierce critic of Vijay, shifted his stance after the tragedy. Speaking shortly after the incident, he said this was an unforeseen tragedy and that “Thambi Vijay” must also be under deep mental stress and sorrow.
On the following days, when asked by reporters about Vijay leaving the venue and returning to Chennai, Seeman replied, “So what if Thambi wasn’t there? Isn’t Anna (Seeman) here? Isn’t that enough?”
He went further, suggesting that Vijay may have left in shock and confusion, and declared, “If Thambi isn’t there, Anna Seeman is here,” effectively placing himself in Vijay’s shoes.
While leaders adopted formal positions, on social media, DMK and TVK supporters clashed fiercely from the very day of the tragedy.
TVK supporters alleged a conspiracy, naming Senthil Balaji as being behind it, and claimed the incident was orchestrated to tarnish Vijay’s image. They flooded social media with demands for a CBI probe, shared unverified videos, and within hours trended the hashtag #IStandWithVijay.
In response, DMK supporters launched #ArrestVijay, accusing him of being directly responsible.
They argued that Vijay’s late arrival deliberately swelled the crowd, that he delayed leaving Chennai, played with lights at the venue, and kept speaking despite visible chaos — thereby worsening the situation.
In this backdrop, a new narrative is already taking shape online, that AIADMK and BJP’s extended support to Vijay is a signal that he must align with them to take on DMK, and that this is the only way for him to survive in politics.
This comes even as critics argue that the attacks on Vijay are orchestrated by the DMK camp. Now, with these emerging supportive narratives, questions are being raised: Are pro-Vijay voices surfacing spontaneously, or are they deliberately preplanned with expectations attached?
It is worth recalling that only a day earlier, at his rally in Namakkal on 27 September, Vijay had, for the first time, launched sharp attacks against the AIADMK-BJP alliance, making it clear that both DMK and the AIADMK-BJP bloc were adversaries.
Yet, in the wake of the Karur tragedy, Vijay’s silence and his decision not to face the media are only feeding new suspicions.
South First spoke to senior journalist Priyan Sreenivasan about this emerging narrative.
“Right now in Tamil Nadu, it is the AIADMK that fears Vijay’s growing appeal at his rallies the most. They are worried that their vote base could be eroded. That is why, more than anyone else, it is the AIADMK that seems most eager to draw Vijay to its side,” he said.
According to him, the reason lies in Vijay’s positioning from the very beginning. “From his first public meeting onwards, Vijay has projected himself as the second major force in Tamil Nadu and the sole opponent of the DMK. As we discussed earlier, the Namakkal rally reinforced this message. What’s more, he has been deliberately targeting AIADMK’s traditional voter base by speaking in the idiom of MGR-Jayalalithaa politics, promising to embody the style they long for.”
Seen in this light, Priyan argued, AIADMK’s overtures of support must be understood strategically. As for the BJP, he said, its position is different: “The BJP will ally with anyone as long as it helps them win. In this case too, if the CBI probe tightens its grip on Vijay, the BJP may try to leverage that pressure to pull him into its alliance. But if Vijay were to take that route, it would only end up benefiting the DMK.”
Priyan pointed to the existing anti-BJP sentiment in Tamil Nadu as evidence, “There is a deep-rooted anti-BJP mood in the state. If Vijay, who has so far consistently branded the BJP as a fascist force, suddenly joins hands with them, then all the anti-BJP votes will automatically consolidate behind the DMK. That would guarantee DMK’s victory. But I don’t believe Vijay will do that,” he added.
On Seeman, Priyan was blunt, “Seeman’s problem is that Vijay’s arrival has emptied his own turf. That insecurity explains his earlier rants. Now, in this crisis, he is pretending to speak in Vijay’s support. But that is not out of any real sympathy — it is simply a ploy to turn Vijay’s supporters into his own.”
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
