CM Vijay blames Karur Police for 41 stampede deaths, alleges conspiracy

On Friday (10th July), addressing his first public event in Karur as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Vijay blamed the Karur Police for the stampede that killed 41 people and injured hundreds at a stampede during his political rally in September 2025. Vijay questioned why the Karur Police did not alert him about the uncontrollable crowd during the September 2025 event. "The Police has the power to cancel the meeting itself. If they feel something amiss, they have all rights to cancel the meeting without asking us. Instead, the Police accompanied us to the meeting spot from the highway itself. Back then, I believed it, and even thanked the Karur Police, but did not expect this drama," the Chief Minister alleged, pinning blame on the Karur Police of the time.

Vijay also cited that he had cancelled a campaign event at Perambalur after the Police had alerted them about the crowd, delays. We considered the safety of the people of Perambalur and we did not go there for campaigning, we apologized to the people, he said. Pointing out the Police alert that prompted him to cancel his event in Perambalur, Vijay asked why a similar alert was not conveyed by Karur Police ahead of the campaign event there.

"Who is the reason for all this ? On whose orders did all this happen ? Who instructed and gave pressure ? Was the Police protection proportionate to the crowd present there ?" Vijay asked, hinting that the Karur stampede was a conspiracy against him and his TVK political party.

Referring to the stampede, Vijay said that it was an unforgettable wound that caused hurt and sorrow. "Even the next generation should know about the painful incident (stampede), plot, conspiracy that took place in Karur. Nobody should think of hatching another political conspiracy... For that, our party will erect a memorial in Karur," Vijay said.

Karur is one among the seven constituencies that is due for bye-polls in Tamil Nadu. Referring to the impending bye-polls, for which dates have not been reaveled, Vijay urged his supporters to give a fitting response to his political opponents. "In the 2026 Assembly polls, you gave them a fitting reply. Now, give them a permanent response, one from which they cannot recover," said the Chief Minister and TVK Chief.