Vijay’s outreach events put on hold for two weeks after Karur stampede tragedy

Chennai, Oct 1 In the aftermath of the devastating stampede that claimed 41 lives at Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam’s (TVK) public meeting in Karur, actor-turned-politician Vijay’s party announced on Wednesday that all his upcoming public interactions over the next two weeks will be “temporarily postponed.”

The decision follows growing shock and mourning across Tamil Nadu after the tragedy during Vijay’s “meet the people” event on September 27 at Velusamypuram, Karur.

The gathering, originally intended to be part of Vijay’s outreach campaign ahead of Tamil Nadu’s 2026 Assembly elections, spiraled into chaos when the crowd swelled beyond capacity, leading to panic and a deadly rush.

Over 60 others were injured in the incident.

In a social media post, the party’s official handle expressed “deep anguish and regret” over the lives lost.

“We are in anguish and regret over the loss of 41 of our brethren. In this situation, our leader’s (Vijay) next two weeks’ 'meet the people' programmes are being temporarily postponed. The revised details of these would be announced later,” the statement read.

Vijay’s 'meet the people' initiative had been drawing large crowds every Saturday since its launch, with stops in Tiruchirappalli, Namakkal and most recently Karur.

The programme is seen as a critical step in the TVK leader’s political debut, aimed at strengthening his connect with the grassroots and energising supporters ahead of his first electoral battle.

The party has come under heavy scrutiny after the Karur tragedy.

Questions have been raised about crowd management, venue safety, and police deployment, while political opponents have demanded accountability.

The state government has set up a one-member commission of enquiry led by retired judge Aruna Jagadeesan to probe the incident.

Party insiders said the leadership will review safety protocols and event logistics before resuming public engagements.

The tragedy has cast a shadow on Vijay’s carefully-built political momentum, though his party’s swift acknowledgment and decision to suspend events could help calm public anger and demonstrate sensitivity during a difficult time.

Revised schedules are expected to be shared once the enquiry progresses and safety measures are reassessed.

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