Horror at Vijay’s TVK rally in Karur: What really happened before the stampede?

A sea of supporters at Vijay’s TVK rally in Karur turned tragic as overcrowding, delay, and panic led to a stampede that killed 39, including 8 children and 16 women.

What began as yet another massive show of strength for actor-turned-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in Karur yesterday turned into a nightmare for many families. A deadly stampede swept through the rally grounds, killing 39 people, among them 8 children and 16 women, and injuring more than 50.

Also Read:Karur stampede: Overcrowding, delay or negligence; What really caused 39 deaths?

The rally, part of TVK’s Saturday outreach campaign ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly polls, had seen huge turnouts in previous weeks. But yesterday, the crowd ballooned far beyond expectations. Supporters waited for more than six hours under sweltering conditions for Vijay’s delayed arrival. Families had brought along children and elders, crowding tightly around the stage.

The tension reached breaking point when a young girl went missing in the crowd and appeals for help were made from the dais. Vijay himself cut short his speech and asked for water to be distributed by throwing bottles into the crowd. Moments later, panic surged, leading to a devastating stampede. Ambulances rushed the injured to hospitals, but heartbreaking scenes unfolded: relatives crying outside emergency wards, one man clutching his son’s body, begging ministers for help, images that have shaken the state.

Also Read:Stampede at Vijay’s TVK rally in Karur: 39 dead, over 50 injured

In the immediate aftermath, Tamil Nadu Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin announced ₹10 lakh compensation for each victim’s family. CM M.K. Stalin expressed shock, constituting a one-member judicial commission led by retired High Court judge Aruna Jagadeesan to probe the tragedy. State ministers, including Health Minister M. Subramanian, rushed to Karur to oversee medical care for the injured.

Officials confirmed that negligence in crowd management and lack of precautionary measures worsened the disaster. Though Vijay had seen massive turnouts in previous rallies, the failure to anticipate such a surge proved deadly this time.

Also Read:Vijay breaks silence after Karur stampede tragedy, CM Stalin rushes to ground zero