Why Vijay's Karur rally was so massive for TVK, where at least 36 died
Crowd surge caused at least 31 deaths and left around 40 people injured, after which social media saw demands for arresting Vijay; probe has been ordered
A rally by Tamil actor-turned-politician Vijay’s party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) on Saturday, evening took a turn for the tragic after overcrowding triggered a stampede-like situation. A sudden crowd surge at the Karur rally caused at least 36 deaths and left around 40 people injured, after which social media saw demands for arresting him as terms like #arrestvijay started trending on X (formerly Twitter).
The incident, which has been called a “stampede-like crush” by the district administration, took place at Velusamypuram on the Karur–Erode highway, where thousands had gathered for Vijay’s “Velicham Veliyeru” (Let There Be Light) campaign.
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Who is Vijay?
Vijay, 51, is one of Tamil cinema’s biggest stars. Commonly known as “Thalapathy” (commander) to fans, he launched the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (Party for Tamil Nadu’s Victory) earlier this year, marking his entry into Tamil Nadu politics.
With the entry of TVK, Vijay and his party members sought to shake up the scene of politics in the state, which has been long dominated by the DMK and AIADMK.
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During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, TVK managed to poll close to 10% of the vote share, especially among first-time voters.
Karur was not the only stop in his “Velicham Veliyeru” campaign. However, the rally in Karur was part of a state-wide tour to unite grassroots networks before the upcoming state assembly elections in 2026.
Toll rising
As the toll kept rising with new information, as of 10.30 pm, at least 36 people have been killed due to the crowd crush at Karur, including women and children. Over 40 remain injured, with some critical.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin will be heading to Karur on Sunday to assess the situation and take into account the damages.
