When 50 people died in two Sunday stampedes in Chennai

Wed Oct 01 00:30:00 UTC 2025: Here’s a news article summarizing the provided text:

**Chennai Haunted by History as Stampede at Political Rally Echoes Past Tragedies**

**CHENNAI, October 1, 2025** – The recent stampede at actor-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) rally in Karur, which claimed 41 lives, has reignited painful memories of past crowd-related tragedies in Tamil Nadu. While the Karur incident marks the worst stampede at a political gathering in the state, history shows that state-managed events have also been the site of deadly crushes.

A stark reminder is the 1992 Mahamaham festival stampede in Kumbakonam, which occurred during a ritual attended by then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.

Adding to the somber reflection, the 20th anniversary of two Chennai stampedes in 2005 is currently observed. These tragedies, occurring within weeks of each other during flood relief efforts, serve as a cautionary tale of lessons unlearned. In November 2005, six women died in a stampede at a Vyasarpadi relief distribution center. A month later, in December, 42 people were killed and 37 injured at a similar event in MGR Nagar.

Both incidents occurred in the early morning hours as crowds surged, fueled by rumors and a lack of adequate crowd control. In the MGR Nagar tragedy, a DMK councillor was arrested, accused of spreading misinformation about the timing of the relief distribution.

While opposition parties demanded accountability from the Jayalalithaa government at the time, she attributed the chaos to “mischief-makers” attempting to tarnish the government’s image. A Commission of Inquiry was established to investigate the MGR Nagar incident.

The similarities between the Karur stampede and the 2005 tragedies underscore the critical need for improved crowd management strategies at both political and state-organized events to prevent future loss of life. While Vijay was criticised for not meeting families of the victims, Jayalalithaa visited the injured and grieving in hospital, offering solace to the victims in 2005.

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