The Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday released video evidence highlighting multiple violations during actor-politician Vijay’s Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) rally in Karur, where a stampede and several road mishaps caused casualties and injuries.

The press briefing at the Secretariat in Fort St George, led by senior IAS officer and state spokesperson P Amudha, came amid social media claims and political debates over the incident. Amudha said the government aimed to clarify “misleading narratives” surrounding the rally. Health Secretary P Senthilkumar and ADGP (Law and Order) S Davidson Devasirvatham also spoke.

Video clippings showed TVK cadres climbing rooftops of shops and houses in Karur and Namakkal, in violation of safety norms. Other footage revealed traffic violations, including motorcycles tailing Vijay’s campaign bus and vehicles moving against traffic, some of which ended in accidents.

Amudha said that TVK’s request for Karur Roundtana as the venue was denied due to safety concerns, including its proximity to a petrol bunk and sewage canal. Instead, the rally proceeded at an alternative site where organisers underestimated crowd numbers. “The turnout exceeded 25,000 against TVK’s claim of 10,000, compounded by those following Vijay’s vehicle,” she said.

Police had instructed Vijay’s convoy to halt 50 metres ahead of the planned stage due to overcrowding, but organisers did not comply, ADGP Devasirvatham noted. The crowd then surged toward a generator enclosure, disrupting floodlights and worsening chaos. Officials also attributed distress to heat and exhaustion. “Crowds began assembling from morning, leading to dehydration and collapse. In Namakkal, 34 were hospitalised due to heat stroke before Vijay even reached Karur,” Amudha said.

The government reported that Karur recorded the highest number of road accident injuries linked to Vijay’s rallies, with 114 cases, followed by 42 in Villupuram, 14 in Madurai and 12 in Tiruchirappalli. Four people fainted at the Namakkal venue. Health Secretary Senthilkumar said that all post-mortems were conducted according to procedure to alleviate the concerns of bereaved families. The government also warned against spreading rumours or circulating content that could incite violence.
(With inputs from PTI)

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