Sat Sep 27 19:08:59 UTC 2025: **News Article:**
**38 Dead in Crowd Crush at Actor Vijay’s Rally in Tamil Nadu, Sparking Political Outrage**
Karur, Tamil Nadu – A tragic crowd crush at a rally held by actor-turned-politician Vijay in Tamil Nadu’s Karur district has left 38 people dead, including 10 children and 17 women. The incident has triggered widespread condemnation and accusations of negligence against Vijay and the rally organizers.
DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai expressed his horror at the scene, describing the visuals of grieving parents as “disturbing.” He accused Vijay and his team of deliberately causing the tragedy by making attendees wait for hours in the scorching heat to maximize crowd size. “This is a cheap ploy… there was criminal negligence,” Annadurai stated, demanding Vijay’s arrest.
Chief Minister MK Stalin expressed his condolences, announcing Rs 10 lakh compensation for the victims’ families from the Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund. He has also formed a one-person Commission of Inquiry, led by Retired High Court Justice Mrs Aruna Jagadeesan, to investigate the incident.
Police sources indicate the stampede occurred after a fall in an area where large crowds surged forward. An estimated 30,000 people had gathered, with Vijay’s arrival delayed by over six hours, leading to uncontrollable swelling of the crowd.
The tragedy has intensified scrutiny of Vijay’s political rallies, with a previous event in Trichy causing a six-hour traffic jam. BJP leader Ashvathaman Allimuthu appeared to agree with DMK’s claim that Vijay waits for large crowds to gather, stating, “If there’s more crowd, you have to be extra conscious.”
While Vijay’s team argues his current mass appeal, at the peak of his acting career, makes him different from other actors who failed in Tamil Nadu politics, critics like Annadurai assert he is exploiting his popularity for political gain and must be held accountable for the devastating consequences.
First Piper 