At least 39 people lost their lives in a tragic stampede during actor-turned-politician Vijay's TVK party rally in Karur on Saturday, as thousands gathered in sweltering heat to catch a glimpse of the Tamil star.
Tamil Nadu DGP G Venkataraman, addressing the media on Sunday morning, highlighted a series of critical lapses that led to the disaster.
What Went Wrong?
Early Arrival of Crowd: The official permit for the event was from 3 pm to 10 pm. However, TVK’s official Twitter handle announced Vijay would arrive at 12 noon, prompting crowds to gather from 11 am onwards.
Delayed arrival: Contrary to the announced time, Vijay arrived at 7:40 pm, after nearly eight hours of waiting.
Lack of basic amenities: The crowd, gathered under the scorching sun, had insufficient access to food and water, heightening fatigue and distress.
Crowd mismatch: While organisers anticipated 10,000 attendees, over 27,000 people turned up. Police had prepared for a crowd of around 20,000.
Inadequate space for crowd management: With the event being held on a public road, the DGP said deploying more police personnel would have further constrained space.
Venkataraman clarified that while the police had flagged concerns to organisers, they serve only as support and not primary event managers. “We’re not here to blame anyone, just stating facts,” he said.
A Commission of Inquiry has been set up by the Tamil Nadu government to probe the tragedy. Meanwhile, top officials, including ADGP (Law and Order) Davidson Devasirvatham, along with several IGPs, DIGs, SPs, and over 2,000 police personnel have been deployed to Karur.
The DGP noted that a large crowd followed Vijay upon his arrival, creating a surge as people rushed to welcome him.
Though the police managed to escort him safely, the situation on the ground became unmanageable.
(With inputs from PTI)