On a Saturday evening that claimed the lives of over 35 people who had come to see him, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam president Vijay left for Chennai without uttering a word by a chartered flight from Trichy International Airport at 10:10 pm.
He had returned from Karur by road earlier.
The actor-turned-politician, who was expected to make an immediate statement, avoided meeting even the media personnel waiting for him at the airport.
Considering the scale of the tragedy, which claimed over 35 lives, including those of children, and left more than 60 people injured, there were expectations that Vijay would visit Karur hospitals and console the families of the victims.
Some rivals demanded Vijay's arrest.
The silence from him and his party functionaries drew sharp criticism from a ruling party spokesperson too.
"The TVK show organisers had said only 10000 people will be attending the rally, but more than 50,000 to 1 lakh people attended the rally, and all the conditions imposed by the Tamil Nadu police were flouted, endangering lives. Vijay is responsible for each and every lost life," DMK spokesperson IT wing secretary Salem Dharanidharan said in a video on twitter.
'This is appalling'
Dharanidharan underlined that "people must learn to discern between reel life and real life".
"You need to learn to take care of your own lives first. Why should anyone wait for an actor for five-six hours? When the first meeting was planned at Namakkal at 8:45, this gentleman takes his flight only at 8:45 and reaches Namakkal four hours late.
"Even in his earlier rally, people fainted because they have been waiting in the hot sun for his arrival. Why are people waiting? Why should people wait? That's my first point," he asked.
Dharanidharan continued his criticism.
"When the lives were, when the media was standing, Vijay did not even bother to answer the media. He just ran away. Do you want to elect someone who runs away from his responsibilities? People came for what? Leaving all their jobs. For only one reason, to have a glimpse of him. Because they were, they liked him or whatever, to have a glimpse of him.
"When 40 people have died, some of them could be the sole breadwinners their family. And this may completely destroy their families, will it not? So at the least Vijay should have stood there, offered his condolences and should have said, "I will take care of them". Instead, he ran away. This is appalling. Politics is not theatrics. Anyone can come and speak whatever they want."
"The Karur tragedy is a reminder of how deep cinema’s influence runs in Tamil Nadu. People's love for reel-life heroes often turns into overwhelming devotion. While admiration is natural, we must ensure it doesn't compromise safety and lives," another twitter user remarked.
Vijay's first reaction only came at 11:15 pm, many hours after the tragedy. He tweeted, "My heart is shattered; I am writhing in unbearable, indescribable pain and sorrow that words cannot express. I extend my deepest condolences and sympathies to the families of my dear brothers and sisters who lost their lives in Karur. I pray for the swift recovery of those receiving treatment in the hospital."
Others on twitter blamed the police and the state government, with one user sharing a video of an earlier speech of Vijay in which he spoke of how his party was never given the venue of their choice and instead offered locations where people had to squeeze themselves in.
The Karur town police have registered a case against several people, including TVK West District Secretary Mathiyazhagan, under four sections.
There were reports of a stampede-like situation in an earlier Vijay rally at Nagapattinam and cases were registered against TVK functionaries then too.
Helpline number shared by the Karur collector: 0434256306. WhatsApp: 7010806322.