DMK leader Kanimozhi has pointed fingers at actor Vijay and his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party, blaming their disregard for police advice for the tragic stampede in Karur that claimed 41 lives, including 18 women and 10 children, on Sunday evening. Speaking to NDTV, Kanimozhi emphasized the need to await findings from the one-person commission set up by Chief Minister MK Stalin to probe the incident, dismissing TVK’s call for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe as unnecessary, insisting the state’s panel will be impartial.

Kanimozhi took sharp jabs at Vijay, stating, “He should have listened to the police,” who had advised stopping his campaign bus short of the venue. The event, meant to mark Vijay’s electoral debut ahead of next year’s Tamil Nadu elections, drew an unexpected crowd of nearly 30,000—far exceeding the 25,000 police were prepared for. According to a police FIR, Vijay’s bus, delayed by unscheduled stops en route from a Namakkal rally 35 km away, arrived late, fueling restlessness in the swelling crowd. Police labeled these stops a “deliberate display of political power,” which triggered a chaotic rush when Vijay finally appeared, spiraling into the deadly stampede that also injured nearly 100 people.

Emergency vehicles struggled to navigate the crush, and Vijay’s bus was trapped in the chaos. Kanimozhi criticized the actor for not staying to assist victims, noting, “He should have helped.” Vijay has since announced Rs 20 lakh compensation for each victim’s family and is meeting TVK leaders to plan a response, but the party has accused the DMK of a “conspiracy” to tarnish its image before the elections. Kanimozhi brushed off the CBI probe demand, saying, “Let the courts decide.”

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With Tamil Nadu’s elections looming, Kanimozhi stressed that Chief Minister Stalin is determined to prevent such tragedies in the heated three-way contest between the DMK, the BJP-AIADMK alliance, and TVK. “Everyone must reflect and ensure this doesn’t happen again,” she said, subtly targeting TVK’s allegations. As investigations continue, the Karur stampede has intensified political rivalries, casting a shadow over Vijay’s much-hyped political entry.

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