Two senior leaders of actor-turned-politician Vijay’s party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), have been booked on serious charges after a massive stampede at a rally in Karur left 39 people dead and nearly 100 others injured, reported NDTV. The deceased include men, women, and children who had gathered in large numbers to see the popular actor. Among those facing charges is Vijay’s close confidant N Anand, who holds the post of general secretary in the party, reported NDTV. Authorities have described the incident as one of the worst tragedies linked to a political event in the region in recent years.
N Anand, widely known as Bussy Anand because he once represented the Bussy constituency in the Puducherry Assembly, has long been regarded as Vijay’s right-hand man and is considered the party’s second-in-command. He is also a former MLA with significant political experience. Alongside Anand, the police have named TVK’s joint general secretary CT Nirmal Kumar, Karur West district secretary Mathiyazhagan, and three other party functionaries in the case, reported NDTV. The inclusion of top leaders has sent shockwaves within the organisation and raised serious questions about its event management practices.
Police have invoked multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder, rash or negligent acts endangering human life, and disobedience of lawful orders by a public servant, reported NDTV. Additionally, charges have been filed under the Tamil Nadu Public Property (Prevention of Damage and Loss) Act. The DMK-led state government has strongly criticised the rally’s organisers for ignoring established guidelines. Officials alleged that basic arrangements, such as adequate drinking water and food, were not provided, causing several attendees to faint even before the main program began, reported NDTV.
The actor arrived nearly seven hours late, worsening the already chaotic situation, reported NDTV. Crowds had been waiting since noon, but Vijay reached the venue only after 7 pm, entering alongside a large group of followers. The gathering site, already overcrowded, became even more congested as his vehicle moved inside. Supporters also reportedly violated security instructions by trailing his car. Officials said the delay and poor crowd control created panic, triggering the deadly stampede that claimed dozens of lives.
Eyewitness accounts further claimed that while Vijay delivered his speech, several attendees collapsed due to suffocation and exhaustion, reported NDTV. However, the rally was not halted, and ambulances were initially prevented from entering the venue to provide timely medical assistance, reported NDTV. Following the program, Vijay is said to have left the site for Trichy airport and flown to Chennai in a private aircraft. This sequence of events has drawn sharp criticism from state leaders, who argue that safety protocols were blatantly disregarded during the rally.
Meanwhile, TVK has defended its conduct, insisting that all police guidelines were followed during the Karur event. An advocate representing the party emphasised that the tragedy has left Vijay deeply saddened, as he shares a strong emotional bond with the people of Tamil Nadu. Supporters of the actor-politician have argued that he had no role in the lapses and that the scale of the crowd made the situation uncontrollable. Nonetheless, the incident has sparked widespread outrage, intensifying political debate over accountability and negligence in organising large public gatherings.