TIRUPATTUR: Four elderly women were killed and 12 others injured in a stampede at Tirupattur’s Vaniyambadi on Saturday evening when about 1,500 people gathered to receive tokens for free saris and veshtis to be distributed by a businessman for Thaipoosam. Police said the individual, identified as Ayyappan who runs a gravel company called Blue Metal, was booked under Section 304 (2) of the IPC (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and arrested.
Tirupattur SP KS Balla Krisshnan said Ayyappan had not taken police permission to distribute the tokens. “We are probing the matter,” he said. Ayyappan’s company has been distributing free sarees for Thaipoosam for a few years now.
This year the distribution was to be done on Sunday but tokens were to be distributed on Saturday. The tragedy occurred as over 1,500 people gathered at the entrance to company near the weekly market ground in Vaniyambadi.
As the crowd rushed forward towards the entrance, at least 16 women fell unconscious. Police and revenue officials rushed to the spot and sent the unconscious women to the Vaniyambadi Government Hospital for treatment. However, S Valliammal (60) from Kurumbatti, C Nagamal (60) from Echampatu, J Rajathi (62) from Arapanda Kuppam, and M Malliga (70) from Old Vaniyambadi succumbed.
Rs 2L solatium announced for family of deceased
Twelve welve others are under treatment, of whom three women are in ICU, police said. Meanwhile, the SP rubbished the claims of Ayyappan’s team that police permission had been obtained for token distribution. “It’s a false statement. We have checked our records, and there is no permission letter,” he said. Ayyappan is being held at the Vaniyambadi town police station for questioning, officials said.
Chief Minister MK Stalin condoled the deaths in a statement and announced relief of Rs 2 lakh to the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to three women, who were seriously injured, from the CM’s relief fund. “I was deeply saddened to hear of this tragic incident. My deepest condolences go out to the bereaved families,” he said in a statement. Tamil Nadu Public Works and Highways Minister EV Velu also provided Rs 25,000 each from his own pocket towards the funeral expenses of the four deceased.