A horrifying incident shook Karur on Saturday as Tamil actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kalagam (TVK) leader Vijay’s public rally turned into a stampede, claiming 39 lives and leaving 51 others critically injured in ICU. The stampede occurred after the crowd swelled far beyond the expected capacity, and video footage from the event has gone viral, capturing the chaos from beginning to end.
Overcrowding Leads to Disaster
Organizers had prepared for an audience of 10,000, but more than 27,000 people gathered at the venue. The scorching heat and suffocating atmosphere made the situation unbearable. In the viral video, Vijay is seen halting his speech and throwing water bottles into the crowd in an attempt to provide relief. Unfortunately, this act caused panic, and the crowd turned uncontrollable, triggering a deadly stampede.
Among the deceased are nine children, while dozens remain hospitalized with severe injuries.
Viral Video Shows Panic and Ambulances Struggling
The footage reveals massive crowds tightly packed around Vijay’s specially designed campaign vehicle. As ambulances tried to push through the crowd, panic escalated. Vijay is seen pointing toward the approaching ambulance, saying:
“It’s coming… it’s coming… ambulance,” before continuing to distribute water bottles with the help of his team.
Delay Criticized, Political Blame Game Begins
Officials confirmed that Vijay was scheduled to arrive in Karur at noon but reached nearly six hours late, at around 6 pm. This delay allowed the crowd to grow uncontrollably, filling every inch of the road.
The ruling DMK accused Vijay of deliberately delaying his arrival to showcase a massive crowd before cameras, calling the incident “avoidable negligence.” With Tamil Nadu assembly elections due next year, Vijay is positioning himself as an alternative to both DMK and AIADMK, making the tragedy politically sensitive.
VIDEO | TVK leader Vijay pauses speech in Karur, distributes water to people, arranges for ambulance for those in the crowd feeling suffocated.
(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/uCBNuilCBZ
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 27, 2025
