Madras High Court Criticizes Police Over Karur Stampede, Questions Vijay’s Role

The Madras High Court (Madurai Bench) has strongly criticized the Tamil Nadu police for failing to take action against actor-politician Vijay following the Karur stampede, which claimed dozens of lives during a Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) rally. The court noted that Vijay “fled the scene” after the tragedy and questioned why his name was omitted from the police’s First Information Report (FIR).

Justice Senthilkumar, while hearing the case, said the lack of accountability from TVK leaders reflected a troubling governance mindset. He further rebuked both event organizers and law enforcement, stressing their responsibility in ensuring crowd safety. The bench pointed to video evidence suggesting a hit-and-run incident involving a TVK vehicle and asked why such charges were not filed.

In response to the controversy, the High Court has directed the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under senior IPS officer Asra Garg to probe the incident. At the same time, the bench reserved judgment on anticipatory bail pleas filed by TVK functionaries Bussy Anand and C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar.

The state government argued that the stampede was triggered by uncontrolled crowd behaviour from TVK supporters, while TVK countered that police failed to provide adequate protection and that permission for the venue was given only a day before the event.

The judges also raised concerns about the influence of TVK’s social media activities, singling out a post by party member Aadhav Arjuna and demanding that authorities clarify whether action would be taken against him.

A parallel Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has sought a ban on roadshows until standard operating procedures (SOPs) for crowd control are introduced. With the court’s intervention and SIT inquiry, the Karur tragedy has sparked intense political and legal debate over responsibility, governance, and public safety in Tamil Nadu.