The Tamil Nadu government has promptly formed a Commission of Inquiry under Justice Aruna Jagadeesan to probe the stampede in actor-politician Vijay’s Karur rally on Saturday, September 27.
At least 31 people including six children died in a stampede in Tamil Nadu’s Karur district at a Tamiliga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) rally led by TVK chief and actor turned politician Vijay.
While Vijay is yet to respond to the tragedy, Chief Minister MK Stalin has directed former Minister Senthil Balaji and Health Minister Ma Subramaniam to oversee the rescue efforts.
The CM also directed Minister Anbil Mahesh to provide necessary assistance on a war footing. “I have spoken to the ADGP to take swift measures to stabilize the situation there,” he said.
Police said between 30,000 and 35,000 people had gathered at the venue from as early as 7 am. The crowd waited for Vijay, who was supposed to arrive at noon, but he arrived only around 7 pm. Nearly 5,000 party workers also followed his convoy from Namakkal to Karur, swelling the crowd further.
Meanwhile, the Union government has sought a response from the Tamil Nadu government over the tragedy.
Who is Aruna Jagadeesan?
Following her retirement as a judge of the Madras High Court in 2015, Justice Aruna Jagadeesan had previously probed the 2018 firing in Thoothukudi which killed 14 persons involved in the anti-Sterilite protests.
Justice Aruna’s report on Thoothukudi found that the police firing was unprovoked, used excessive force, and held several senior police officers and administrative officials responsible. The commission also recommended departmental and criminal action against various officials.
Former Thoothukudi District Collector N Venkatesh and 20 other officers were among those held responsible by the Aruna Jagadeesan Commission for the 2018 firing that killed 14 persons.
The Justice Aruna Jagadeesan Commission of Inquiry’s report, tabled in the Tamil Nadu Assembly in October 2022 called for legal action against the District Collector and three Tahsildars, along with 17 police personnel.