More than 50,000 people converged at the ground in Karur. The number was over 40,000 in excess of what actor Vijay’s TVK anticipated and sought permission for.
Published Sep 27, 2025 | 10:11 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 27, 2025 | 10:11 PM
Relatives at the Karur Government Hospital.
Synopsis: The TVK headquarters had informed the district police that it was expecting only around 10,000 people to attend the meeting. The party also assured in writing that it would make the necessary arrangements and sought the police permission to hold the meeting.
The crowd at the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) event at the Lighthouse Roundana — or Uzhavar Sandhai Grounds — at Velumchamypuram in Karur was so unprecedented that it even overwhelmed the organisers.
As many as 31 people, including six children, were killed in a stampede at the event attended by actor-politician Vijay on Saturday, 27 September. Several others are undergoing treatment. The death toll is likely to rise further.
The TVK headquarters had informed the district police that it was expecting only around 10,000 people to attend the meeting. The party also assured in writing that it would make the necessary arrangements and sought the police permission to hold the meeting.
However, according to preliminary estimates, more than 50,000 people converged at the ground, which led to the stampede. Even as Vijay started speaking, the crowd surged forward for a better glimpse of the actor-politician. In the melee, several people swooned, and children were parted from their guardians.
Though Vijay stopped his brief speech multiple times, the crowd could not be managed. The surge of crowd led to several people suffocating and gasping for breath.
The TVK had earlier urged women not to bring children to the event. However, the appeal went unheeded. Among those killed in the stampede were, unfortunately, children. Parents wailing at the lifeless bodies of their children at Karur general hospital marked this gut-wrenching tragedy.
Though rallies attended by Vijay have been drawing crowds, the one at Karur was much more than those at Trichy, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, and Namakkal.
The event was part of Vijay’s public outreach programme, rolled out ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu. The programme was being conducted every Saturday.
The MK Stalin-led DMK government has dispatched ministers to supervise the situation that was unravelling at Karur. The chief minister himself is expected to visit Karur on Sunday to take stock of the situation.
