Karur: A political rally by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in Karur on Saturday turned into a mass tragedy, claiming 40 lives — including a two-year-old boy — and leaving more than 60 injured, at least two critically.
The disaster unfolded due to a combination of overcrowding, poor crowd control, and sudden chaos:
- Delay fuels crowd swell: TVK chief Vijay, expected at noon, arrived only at 7pm. By then, the venue at Velusamypuram was packed far beyond capacity, swelled by fans, families, and weekend wage workers joining after shifts.
- No space for campaign vehicle: Unlike standard practice, no area was cordoned off for Vijay’s vehicle. Its arrival through the crowd compressed people on either side, sparking panic.
- Power failure worsens chaos: A rush towards a shed housing a generator disrupted the power supply, plunging the venue into darkness. Families were separated and women raised alarms to save children.
- Shed and tree collapse: A broken tree branch crashed onto a shed, sending people tumbling over those below, triggering the fatal stampede between 7pm and 7.30pm.
Police said fatalities occurred at two separate spots near Vijay’s vehicle. Witnesses described scenes of confusion and desperation as floodlights failed and people stumbled in multiple directions.
The tragedy highlights serious lapses in planning, crowd management, and venue preparedness for mass political rallies.
