KARUR: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team led by Superintendent of Police (SP) Praveen Kumar on Friday visited Velusamypuram in Karur district, where 41 people lost their lives in a crowd crush during a Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) rally addressed by party leader Vijay on September 27.
This marked the CBI’s first on-site inspection after taking over the probe from the Special Investigation Team (SIT). A 12-member CBI team examined the site using the Focus Laser Scanning Solution, a high-precision 3D mapping technology, to understand the geography of the area.
State police officers, including DSP Selvaraj and Inspector Manikandan, were also brought to the site by the CBI during the inspection. Traffic was briefly restricted during the process.
As part of the investigation, officers were seen questioning residents and business owners in Velusamypuram, including shopkeepers, tea stall operators, and employees of a nearby software company where the stampede took place.
CCTV footage from a petrol bunk and a grocery shop in the vicinity was also sought for review. Around four individuals from the area, including eyewitnesses to the incident, were summoned to the CBI camp office for detailed questioning on Friday.
According to local police sources, on Thursday, CBI Inspector Manoharan had inquired and questioned Inspector Manivannan for over an hour regarding police arrangements on the day of the tragedy, as the site falls under the Karur Town Police jurisdiction. Sources added that Manoharan and two other officers were tasked with examining the SIT documents.
The Supreme Court transferred the case from the SIT to the CBI on October 13, following which the agency formally took charge on October 16. The next day, October 17, the SIT handed over more than 1,000 pages of documents to the CBI team, the sources added.
The CBI is expected to continue its ground inspection and analyse CCTV camera footage, along with conducting forensic and technical analysis in the coming days to determine what had led to the deadly stampede during Vijay’s rally.
