TVK Karur Stampede: How Tragedy Broke Out And Who's Responsible? 'Overcrowding, Delay' - What We Know So Far

(MENAFN- Live Mint) At least 36 people, including eight children, died and over 40 people suffered injuries after a stampede-like situation unfolded at Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief and actor Vijay's public rally in Tamil Nadu's Karur on Saturday (Septmber 27) evening. The toll was confirmed by State Health Minister Ma Subramanian.

Several fainted during the incident, ambulances were called, and the police's help was sought as tragedy hit the rally where people had gathered in hundreds.

Also Read | Vijay reacts to TVK Karur stampede tragedy: 'My heart is shattered' What triggered TVK Karur 'stampede'?

Sources told ANI that "overcrowding" at the venue led to the tragedy. Meanwhile, police sources told the Hindustan Times that the Karur rally attracted a crowd far beyond initial estimates.

Permissions had been granted for around 30,000 participants. However, local reports suggested nearly 60,000 people gathered for the rally, many traveling on foot, tractors, and buses, the HT report claimed.

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At the overcrowded Karur rall , Vijay offered water bottles to cadres. "Police please help," said the TVK chief as a child appeared to go missing, several persons among the crowd fainted.

Karur tragedy: But who is responsible for chaos and panic at Vijay's rally in Tamil Nadu?

While a probe is yet to be initiated into the stampede-like incident at TVK's Karur rally, political parties trained guns at each other to further fuel the speculations round the key reason behind the tragedy. Here's what they said:

Also Read | 'On war footing...': Stalin after stampede-like situation at Vijay's Karur rally 1. 'Organisers responsible, rally delayed'

DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai said the organisers of the TVK's Karur rally were responsible for the "stampede". He said the rally was delayed by "six hours".

He said the rally "was deliberately delayed because they wanted to grab a few eyeballs with fancy drone shots to show that so many people had come for the rally, and this has now killed 31 people. Who is going to be answerable for this? This is all a ploy of Vijay," Saravanan Annadurai said.

Also Read | 31 dead after several faint at actor Vijay's Karur rally, over 50 injured 2. No 'proper arrangements'

Meanwhile, BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla called Karur tragedy a "man-made criminal disaster." He held both the DMK government in Tamil Nadu and actor Vijay's party responsible for the mishap that killed 36 people on Saturday.

"Both the DMK government, which should have made the proper arrangements and did not, clearly, is also responsible, but also Mr Vijay and his party is responsible. Both elements are the two sides of the same coin, they don't value people, they only value their own popularity and 'Parivar' and therefore people are treated in this way," Poonawalla said.

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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin announced on Saturday that a Commission of Inquiry led by Justice Aruna Jagadeesan will probe the deadly incident

"To conduct a thorough inquiry and submit a report to the government, a one-member Commission of Inquiry under retired High Court Judge Justice Aruna Jagadeesan will be immediately constituted," the CM said.

Meanwhile, the Union Home Ministry has sought a report on the stampede from the Tamil Nadu government.

Also Read | PM Narendra Modi says stampede at TVK rally in Karur 'deeply saddening' TVK Karur stampede: What we know so far

Officials told news agency PTI that the stampede broke out on Saturday evening, around 7.30 pm, just as actor-politician Vijay was addressing supporters who had gathered in huge numbers in the afternoon and were waiting for hours to get a glimpse of the TVK leader, also a top movie star.

Vijay, who was addressing the massive gathering from atop his campaign vehicle, halted his speech mid-way when many workers raised an alarm after noticing that people were fainting and falling. Many who fainted included women and children.

The state government also announce a compensation of ₹10 lakh each to the families of the victims.

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