Daijiworld Media Network – Karur

Karur, Sep 28: Actor-politician Vijay on Sunday announced an ex-gratia of Rs 20 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 2 lakh for the injured following the tragic stampede at his rally in Karur, Tamil Nadu, which claimed at least 39 lives and left 56 others injured on Saturday evening.

Terming the incident an “irreparable loss,” Vijay expressed his grief on X: “The faces of all of you whom I have met keep flashing through my mind. The more I think of my loved ones who show affection and care, the more my heart slips further from its place. My heart and mind are overwhelmed with profound heaviness. In the midst of the immense grief of losing our loved ones, I am at a loss for words to express the pain my heart endures. My eyes and mind are clouded with sorrow.”

The Tamil Nadu government announced a relief of Rs 10 lakh for the kin of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh for the injured. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said, “In the history of our state, never has such a large number of people lost their lives in a program organised by a political party, and such a tragedy should never happen in the future either.” He also announced the formation of an inquiry commission led by a retired high court judge to probe the stampede.

Police officials reported that Vijay arrived at the venue around 7:30 pm, nearly four hours after the scheduled 3 pm start, causing the crowd to swell significantly. While the ground was booked anticipating 10,000 attendees, nearly 30,000 people turned up.

DGP in-charge G. Venkatraman highlighted that the venue lacked sufficient food and water, and many had been waiting under the hot sun since 11 am. By the time Vijay arrived at 7:40 pm, the crowd had already endured long hours of waiting, contributing to the tragic stampede.

Authorities have vowed a thorough investigation to determine the factors behind the crowd surge and ensure accountability.