2025 Karur crowd crush

Last updated

2025 Karur crowd crush
2025 Karur crowd crush
Date27 September 2025
Timec.7:40 p.m. (IST)
LocationVeluswamypuram, Karur district, Tamil Nadu, India
Type Crowd crush
Cause Overcrowding; alleged delay by event organisers
Organized by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam
Deaths41 [1]
Non-fatal injuries83–124 [2] [3] [4]

On 27 September 2025, at least 41 people were killed and around 100 others were injured in a crowd crush during a political rally in Karur district, Tamil Nadu, India. The rally was hosted by Vijay, the founder and president of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). The crowd crush happened in Velusamypuram on the Karur Erode highway, when large sections of the crowd surged towards Vijay in an attempt to catch a glimpse of his convoy after his arrival was delayed by nearly seven hours.

Contents

Political leaders across the country expressed their condolences; the union and state governments, along with various political parties, announced compensation for the families of the deceased and injured. Tamil Nadu's chief minister M. K. Stalin formed a one-member commission to investigate the incident.

The Tamil Nadu Police accused the TVK's leadership of ignoring their advice and failing to take adequate precautions; they also alleged that Vijay had violated police-issued regulations and traffic rules. The Karur police department filed a first information report and initiated criminal proceedings against various TVK leaders, including the general secretary N. Anand.

Background

Vijay, a prominent Tamil film actor, launched the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) on 2 February 2024. Ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election, he campaigned in Velusamypuram, a village on the Karur Erode highway in Karur district in Tamil Nadu, on 27 September 2025. [5] [6]

According to the Government of Tamil Nadu, the organisers had obtained permission to conduct a rally with a maximum of 10,000 people in attendance; however, as per government estimates and eyewitness accounts, about 27,000 people were estimated to have arrived at the venue prior to Vijay's rally speech. [7] [4] [8] [9] [10] [11] The Director General of the Tamil Nadu Police, G. Venkataraman, said that the police were expecting 20,000 attendees; [7] however, his deputy, Davidson Devasirvatham, said that they were expecting 15,000 people and had deployed 500 policemen. [12] The Hindustan Times cited local reports, which said that 30,000 attendees were anticipated but the rally drew double that number, [13] [14] and Puthiya Thalaimurai gave the attendance as exceeding 50,000. [11]

The venue, said to have been used for similar events in the past, was assigned to the organisers by the state police. [12] It had a seating capacity of 60,000 over an area of 11,000 m2. [9] [10] The police had rejected the proposed locations in Karur town, describing them as "thickly populated business areas". [12]

According to Venkataraman, the police department had given permission for a gathering between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m. The TVK announced that Vijay would arrive at noon, and supporters and party cadre began gathering at the venue from 11 a.m. [7] [8] According to the police report, the crowd had been gathering since 10 a.m., [8] and another source mentioned 9 a.m. [12] The large crowd was exposed to hot weather conditions, and there was a scarcity of food, water and basic amenities. [15] Attendees, who included families with children and – unusually for political rallies in Tamil Nadu – young women, [12] awaited Vijay's convoy for hours; many skipped meals to maintain their positions. [12] [16] [17] Witnesses later reported seeing fainting, dehydration, and restlessness before the rally began, [9] [11] with ambulance rescue operations launched by 6 p.m. [12] Several people had reportedly collapsed near Vijay's campaign vehicle. [7]

Vijay was slated to speak in Namakkal (an hour's drive away from Karur) at 8:45 a.m. However, the event was delayed till 2 p.m., and he left for Karur half an hour later. [12] He entered the Karur district at 4:45 p.m., and reached the event venue after dark at 7 p.m.; [12] [18] [19] [20] according to Venkataraman, he only arrived at 7:40 p.m. [7] [4] Vijay, who was said by police to have held multiple receptions for supporters along his route, [20] [8] required a police escort as crowds awaited him by the roadside and there were few barriers. [12] At least 5,000 supporters followed him in their own vehicles from Namakkal to Velusamypuram, against police advice. [12]

Incident

As per eyewitnesses, the fatal crowd crush happened around 7:45 p.m., when large sections of the crowd surged toward the stage barricades. [13] Three separate crowd crushes were reported during the rally; the first caused by attendees trying to see Vijay (who did not turn on his customary spotlight), the second by attendees' attempts to hear him after his microphone failed, and the final crush by attendees chasing his departing bus. [12] [19]

The TVK party members and attendees formed vehicular convoys in front of and behind Vijay's campaign vehicle, blocking the roads. [21] Once the campaign vehicle arrived at the rally venue, the crowd was forced to make way, leading to a crush. [22] The crush was triggered near a shed housing a generator and a television broadcast van, where people were pushed and subsequently trampled underfoot. A lack of buffer zones around the stage caused people to press closer, increasing overcrowding and pressure points. [13]

During the chaos, Vijay paused his speech; he addressed the crowd, distributed water bottles, requested the crowd make way for an ambulance, and called out for a missing child before resuming. [23] Police and volunteers were unable to control the surge, and ambulances faced difficulties navigating the congested area; volunteers eventually formed human chains to carve pathways for the injured. Several attendees fainted due to hyperthermia and the density of the crowd, with some children reportedly becoming separated from their families. [16] [17] One survivor said that an ambulance had repeatedly made U-turns in the crowd, contributing to the severity of the crush. [24] Multiple sources reported that TVK supporters had obstructed ambulances and confronted their drivers during the rescue operation, which reportedly caused a delay in obtaining medical attention for the victims. [25] [26] [27] [28] Survivors and witnesses cited poor planning, insufficient security personnel, and inadequate crowd control measures as key factors contributing to the tragedy. [13]

Initial reports cited about 10 deaths, but the toll rose to 41, including a two-year-old toddler, at least nine children, 18 women and 13 men. [29] [30] [31] Most of the victims were in their 20s and 30s. [32] At least 83 others sustained crush injuries ranging from fractures to suffocation, and many were admitted to hospitals in Karur and nearby districts. [5] [4] [33]

Response and investigation

Following the incident, emergency services were deployed to the site, and ambulances transported the injured to nearby hospitals. At least 44 doctors from the neighboring districts of Salem and Tiruchirappalli were sent to Karur to treat the injured. [34] The Karur district administration established helplines to assist families seeking information about the victims. [16] [17]

The State government formed a single member commission consisting of retired Madras High Court judge Aruna Jagadeesan to investigate the crowd crush. [35] [36] The Tamil Nadu police registered a case and conducted forensic investigations at multiple sites including a sewer where multiple bodies were found. [35] According to the first information report filed by the Karur Town police, the TVK organisers had deliberately delayed Vijay's appearance by four hours with the intention of "exhibiting political strength", ignored advice and failed to take adequate precautions. It also alleged that Vijay, who entered the Karur district at 4:45 p.m., had violated issued conditions and traffic rules by stopping along the way to "indulge in a roadshow without permission", and sought to delay his arrival himself. [8] [20]

On 28 September, key members of the TVK including general secretary N. Anand, joint secretary C.T. Nirmal Kumar, and Karur district secretary Mathiazhagan were booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for culpable homicide, attempted culpable homicide, and endangering life. [8] [4] [20] [37] On 30 September, Mathiazhagan was arrested in relation to the case. [20] On the same day, TVK’s election campaign management general secretary, Aadhav Arjuna, was booked for allegedly posting a message on social media that was intent to incite unrest, referencing Gen Z protests in Sri Lanka and Nepal. [38] [39] [40]

Reactions

Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam

Vijay shared a statement on social media after returning to Chennai (the capital of Tamil Nadu), stating that he was "writhing in unbearable, indescribable pain and sorrow that words cannot express." He extended his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives, and offered prayers for the swift recovery of the injured. [14] He announced that he intended to pay the families of the deceased 2 million (US$24,000), and the injured 0.2 million (US$2,400). [41] [42] He released a video three days later, in which he insinuated that it is a political conspiracy and urged Chief Minister M. K. Stalin to take action against him personally instead of his party members, if there was a need for revenge. [43] [44]

Tamil Nadu

The state's chief minister, M. K. Stalin, said that the situation was "worrying", dispatching health minister Ma. Subramanian, ex-minister V. Senthil Balaji, and other officials to oversee the relief efforts. Later, he visited the Government Medical College Hospital in Karur, where he met the injured and their families and paid tribute to those who lost their lives. [45] [46] [47] He also announced a compensation of 1 million (US$12,000) for the families of the deceased. [33]

The opposition leader in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and AIADMK general secretary, Edappadi K. Palaniswami, expressed shock at the incident and offered his condolences to the families of the deceased. He directed party functionaries to provide necessary assistance to those admitted at the government hospital, after meeting the victims and the families of the deceased, he claimed that "such a stampede has never occurred before in the state during a political campaign", and urged the police not to show bias in favor of the ruling party when providing security to opposition parties. [48] [49]

Indian government

Indian president Droupadi Murmu, vice president C. P. Radhakrishnan, and prime minister Narendra Modi expressed their condolences on social media. [50] Modi announced a payment of 200,000 (US$2,400) for the families of the deceased and 50,000 (US$590) for those injured in the disaster. [51]

On 29 September, the union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, accompanied by the minister of state for parliamentary affairs L. Murugan and Tamil Nadu's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nainar Nagenthran, visited the families of the victims to express their condolences and discuss assistance measures. [52] On 30 September, a delegation of eight National Democratic Alliance MPs, led by Hema Malini, and which included Anurag Thakur, Tejasvi Surya, Brij Lal, Aparajita Sarangi, Rekha Sharma, Shrikant Shinde and Putta Mahesh Kumar inspected the site and met with victims at the hospital. [53] Malini questioned the administrative approval for such a large gathering at an inadequate venue, calling for accountability from both organisers and officials. Thakur demanded an impartial judicial probe by a sitting Supreme court judge and criticised the state government’s handling of the tragedy. [54] The delegation also announced plans to visit the homes of the victims and submit its findings to the BJP central leadership. [55]

International

Xu Feihong, the ambassador of China to India, said that he was "deeply saddened by the tragic incident in Karur, Tamil Nadu" and offered his "heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones", while wishing "strength and healing to all those affected". [56] Later, in response to a question from The Paper, China's foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said "We take note of the tragedy and express our deep condolences for the victims. Our heart goes out to their families and those who are injured. In the wake of the incident, China’s embassy in India expressed grief and sympathies. According to what we’ve learned, no Chinese fatalities or injuries have been reported so far". [57]

See also

References

  1. "TVK Vijay Karur rally stampede death toll rises". The Hindu . 29 September 2025. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
  2. Chowdhury, Shatabdi (28 September 2025). "Stampede At Actor-Politician Vijay's Rally Described In Haunting Visuals". NDTV . Retrieved 28 September 2025.
  3. "Stampede at Indian actor Vijay's rally in Tamil Nadu kills 40". The Independent . 28 September 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Rankin, Jennifer (28 September 2025). "At least 40 dead and 124 injured in crush at Vijay rally in India". The Guardian .
  5. 1 2 Jaisankar, C. (27 September 2025). "At least 36 dead in stampede at actor Vijay's rally in Karur". The Hindu . ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  6. "Vijay to campaign at Velusamypuram in Karur today". The Times of India . 26 September 2025. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Ganguly, Sayan (28 September 2025). "Video shows Vijay rally attendees clawing through hut roof to escape crowd crush". India Today . Archived from the original on 28 September 2025. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "TVK organisers deliberately delayed arrival of Vijay at Karur, claims FIR of Karur Town police". The Hindu. 29 September 2025. Archived from the original on 30 September 2025. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  9. 1 2 3 "Letter reveals TVK expected 10,000 at Karur rally; Massive turnout triggers chaos". Mathrubhumi . 27 September 2025. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  10. 1 2 "6-hour delay, 30,000 people: What caused the stampede at TVK chief Vijay's rally in Tamil Nadu's Karur". India TV News. 27 September 2025. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  11. 1 2 3 "Stampede at Vijay's Karur rally: All you need to know". Puthiya Thalaimurai . 28 September 2025. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Ahmed, Shabbir; Singaravel, Bharathy; Sigamany, Vidya (28 September 2025). "How did the Karur tragedy unfold: A timeline of Vijay's TVK rally stampede". The News Minute. Archived from the original on 30 September 2025. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Shaji, K.A. (30 September 2025). "How chaos broke out at Vijay's Karur rally, where at least 36 died, over 40 injured". The Hindustan Times . Archived from the original on 30 September 2025. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  14. 1 2 "'Writhing in unbearable, indescribable pain': TVK chief Vijay as Karur rally death toll rises to 36". The Hindustan Times . 28 September 2025. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  15. Shankar, Priyanka. "At least 39 killed in crowd crush at Indian actor-politician Vijay's rally". Al Jazeera . Retrieved 28 September 2025.
  16. 1 2 3 Jaisankar, C. (27 September 2025). "Karur stampede: Anatomy of the tragedy at Vijay's TVK rally in Tamil Nadu". The Hindu . ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  17. 1 2 3 "TVK rally tragedy: Long delay, overcrowded what we know so far". The Times of India . 28 September 2025. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  18. "Death toll climbs to 40 after stampede at political rally for popular actor". Policy Wire. Associated Press. 28 September 2025. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
  19. 1 2 "Indian police investigate Vijay's 'overcrowded' political rally as 40 people die". Sky News . 28 September 2025. Archived from the original on 30 September 2025. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 "Vijay's party functionary arrested after Karur rally stampede claimed 41 lives". India Today. 30 September 2025. Archived from the original on 30 September 2025. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  21. Murali, Poornima (28 September 2025). "Vijay's Late Arrival, Inadequate Karur Arrangements Under Scrutiny As Rally Stampede Kills 39". News18 . Retrieved 28 September 2025.
  22. "Karur stampede: Anatomy of the tragedy at Vijay's TVK rally in Tamil Nadu". The Hindu . Archived from the original on 28 September 2025. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
  23. "'Police please help': What happened at Vijay's rally that left 38 dead | All you need to know". The Indian Express . 28 September 2025. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  24. Sivashanmugam, Sneha (29 September 2025). "TVK rally stampede: Survivors recall night when it all went awry". The New Indian Express . Retrieved 29 September 2025.
  25. "Karur TVK stampede: Organisational lapses led to deadly mishap at Vijay's rally? Death toll increases to 40". The Week. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  26. Madhav, Pramod (28 September 2025). "TVK workers attacked 5 ambulances during Karur stampede rescue: Service provider". India Today . Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  27. Singaravel, Bharathy (30 September 2025). "Opinion: When fans become political cadre – lessons from the TVK stampede". The News Minute. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  28. "What Happened At Actor Vijay's Rally? Eyewitnesses Narrate Stampede Horror". NDTV . 30 September 2025. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  29. "TVK Karur rally stampede: Death toll climbs to 41". The Hindu . 29 September 2025. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 29 September 2025.
  30. Srivatsal, V.; Karthik, Deepak (29 September 2025). "39 die in stampede during TVK leader Vijay's Karur campaign". The Times of India . Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  31. "TVK rally stampede highlights: Madurai Bench of Madras High Court to hear TVK's case on September 29; death toll rises to 40". The Hindu . 27 September 2025. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 28 September 2025.
  32. "Karur stampede: Identities of 39 persons killed during TVK rally established". The Hindu . Archived from the original on 28 September 2025. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
  33. 1 2 "Karur TVK stampede: CM Stalin announces Rs 10 lakh compensation for families of deceased". The News Minute. 27 September 2025. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  34. Sharman, Laura; Mitra, Esha (27 September 2025). "Rally for Indian actor-politician turns to tragedy as crush kills 39". CNN . Retrieved 28 September 2025.
  35. 1 2 Abbas, Ajmal (29 September 2025). "Calls for CBI probe grow as blame game escalates after Karur stampede kills 40". India Today . Retrieved 29 September 2025.
  36. "Who Is Justice Aruna Jagadeesan? Retired Madras HC Judge Set To Probe Vijay's Rally Stampede". News18 . 28 September 2025. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
  37. "Madras high court to hear TVK's plea for CBI probe in Karur stampede today". The Hindustan Times . 29 September 2025. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
  38. "TVK leader Aadhav Arjuna booked for deleted X post calling for Nepal-like 'uprising' in T.N." The Hindu . 30 September 2025. Archived from the original on 1 October 2025. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  39. "TVK Leader Charged For Controversial 'Gen Z' Post After Stampede". NDTV . 30 September 2025. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  40. "TN police book TVK leader for calling for Nepal-like Gen Z protest to oust state govt". The News Minute. 30 September 2025. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  41. "Vijay announces ₹20 lakh for kin of Karur stampede victims, ₹2 lakh for injured". The Hindustan Times . 28 September 2025. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
  42. Stalin, J Sam Daniel (28 September 2025). "'Unbearable Loss': Actor Vijay To Give 20 Lakh To Stampede Victims' Families". NDTV .
  43. "Target me, not TVK cadre: Vijay tells T.N. CM Stalin in video statement after Karur stampede". The Hindu. 30 September 2025. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  44. Madhav, AnaghaPramod (30 September 2025). "Vijay blames Stalin for stampede in video message: Get me if you want revenge". India Today. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  45. "TVK rally stampede LIVE: T.N. CM Stalin visits injured persons in Karur hospital". The Hindu . 27 September 2025. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  46. "TVK Vijay rally Stampede Live: Tamil Nadu CM Stalin visits Karur hospital; meets families of victims". The Times of India . 27 September 2025. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  47. "CM MK Stalin meets injured people at Hospital after 38 die in Karur, pays tribute to victims". The Sunday Guardian. 27 September 2025. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  48. "EPS condoles Vijay's Karur rally tragedy, urges govt to ensure compensation and treatment". DTnext . 28 September 2025. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  49. "Never happened before in TN': EPS slams DMK, police – flags questions over Karur stampede". The Times of India . 28 September 2025. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
  50. "'Deeply saddening': PM Modi, others react after over 30 die in Vijay's Karur rally in Tamil Nadu". The Hindustan Times . 27 September 2025. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  51. "Karur rally stampede: PM Modi announces ex-gratia for families of deceased". Mathrubhumi . 28 September 2025. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
  52. "Vijay rally stampede: Nirmala Sitharaman, L Murugan visit grieving families in Karur". The Times of India . 29 September 2025. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
  53. "Karur stampede: NDA-BJP delegation visits hospital, meets injured victims". ANI News. 1 October 2025. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  54. "NDA delegation meets families of Karur stampede victims, demands probe by SC judge". The New Indian Express . 30 September 2025. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  55. "Delegation of NDA MPs demands impartial judicial probe into Karur stampede". The Hindu . 30 September 2025. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  56. Xu, Feihong [@China_Amb_India] (27 September 2025). "Deeply saddened by the tragic incident in Karur, Tamil Nadu. Our heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones. Wishing strength and healing to all those affected" (Tweet). Retrieved 29 September 2025 via Twitter.
  57. "Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun's Regular Press Conference on September 29, 2025_Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China . Retrieved 30 September 2025.