Rs 4.87 cr paid to Karur victims’ families, no crowd control: TN CM Stalin

The tragic Karur stampede on September 27 during a Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) rally claimed 41 lives, highlighting serious lapses in planning and crowd control by the organisers. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin announced that a total of Rs 4.87 crore compensation has been issued to the families of the deceased, averaging around Rs 11.88 lakh per family.

TVK had applied for multiple venues to hold the rally, but permissions were denied at most places due to traffic and safety concerns. The event was finally allowed in Veluchamy Puram under 11 conditions, with 517 police personnel deployed for security. However, organizers failed to provide basic facilities like food, water, and toilets, especially for women, contributing to chaos when the large crowd gathered.

The situation worsened due to the delayed arrival of TVK leader Vijay. Though the official permission mentioned the event from 3 PM to 10 PM, media announcements indicated Vijay’s arrival by 12 PM, leading people to assemble much earlier. After finishing a Namakkal event, Vijay finally reached Karur around 7 PM, seven hours later than announced, creating severe congestion. Panic escalated when a campaign vehicle entered the crowd against police advice, and some attendees entered a generator room, causing a power cut. Rescue efforts were delayed further as two ambulances were attacked by TVK cadres, resulting in arrests.

TVK leader Vijay expressed deep sorrow and pledged ₹20 lakh to each bereaved family and ₹2 lakh to the injured, along with educational and medical support for affected families. A one-man commission and SIT have been formed to investigate the incident, and the Supreme Court has issued an interim order transferring the case to the CBI.

CM Stalin said the government is drafting a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for crowd management to prevent future tragedies, emphasizing that public safety must be the top priority.

As such incidents continue to occur, it is clear that people are losing their minds day by day, risking their lives just to see their favorite celebrities.