Karur stampede: Madras HC rejects anticipatory bail for TVK district secretary

The Madras High Court on Friday dismissed the anticipatory bail petition filed by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) district secretary N Sathish Kumar in connection with the Karur stampede. Justice N Senthilvkumar questioned why the party failed to control the crowd, highlighting the unruly behaviour of TVK cadres, which included a rampage and damage to public property during the roadshow led by party chief and actor Vijay.

The public prosecutor, S. Santhosh, opposing the anticipatory bail plea, submitted nine First Information Reports (FIRs.) registered against party members, including district secretary N. Sathish Kumar, in connection with the destruction of public property during the event.

The tragic stampede occurred on September 27 in Karur, Tamil Nadu, during a public rally held by Vijay, attracting a massive crowd. Preliminary reports indicated serious lapses in crowd management contributed to the chaos, which claimed the lives of 41 people and left many others injured.

Reacting to the incident, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for rushing to Karur. He said, "When Tamil Nadu was struck by three major disasters, affecting thousands of people, the Union BJP Finance Minister neither visited nor provided any funds. But now, she immediately rushes to Karur. The BJP, which did not send inquiry commissions for the Manipur riots, Gujarat incidents, or the Kumbh Mela deaths, is now promptly sending a team to Karur, not out of any genuine concern for Tamil Nadu, but simply because elections are due next year."

Stalin further added, "They (BJP) think they can gain some political mileage out of this (Karur stampede deaths) or use it to threaten someone. The BJP is in a position where it survives by sucking someone else's blood." He also targeted the AIADMK, accusing it of supporting a party that neglects state interests.

Meanwhile, BJP MP Anurag Thakur, part of the NDA-BJP fact-finding delegation that visited Karur, urged CM Stalin to take full charge of the situation. In a letter to the Chief Minister, he called for a detailed inquiry into the tragedy, requesting a comprehensive report covering the primary causes, crowd control arrangements by local authorities, identified lapses, and preventive measures planned by the state for the future.

The Karur stampede has sparked widespread concern over public safety at mass gatherings and the responsibility of organisers to ensure proper crowd management.