**Karur Stampede: Eyewitness Accounts Reveal Chaos and Panic Before Tragedy Struck**
*By Snehil Singh | Sep 28, 2025, 01:43 PM*
A political rally in Karur took a tragic turn on Saturday evening when a stampede claimed the lives of 39 people, including women and children, and left dozens injured. The incident occurred during a Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) rally where crowds had gathered to see actor-turned-politician Vijay, affectionately known as Vijay Mama by his fans.
**Initial Chaos**
Eyewitnesses and victim families have shared harrowing details of the chaos leading up to the disaster. Vinod Kumar, brother-in-law of one of the victims, recounted how a family of four had been waiting to see Vijay. “There was a power cut from 7 to 7:30 pm. The crowd surged forward just before his arrival,” he said. Tragically, his sister-in-law and her two children died on the spot due to suffocation.
Another victim, 45-year-old Jayanti, had attended the rally with her 20-year-old son, Ashwin Kumaran. Jayanti also lost her life during the stampede.
**Emergency Chaos at the Venue**
Ashwin Kumaran described the harrowing scene following the stampede. He alleged that police and TVK volunteers were unable to assist due to their own injuries. “No one was telling us where ambulances were. There was no water supply, and the road was very narrow and constricted,” he revealed.
The rally venue was strewn with shoes, crushed water bottles, torn flags, broken poles, and other debris. Many attendees were pushed into low-lying sewerage drains while attempting to escape, and some climbed onto thatched roofs only to fall down.
**Aftermath and Response**
Following the tragedy, Vijay expressed his “unbearable, inexplicable pain and grief” on social media. He prayed for those hospitalized and announced compensation of ₹20 lakh each to the families of the deceased and ₹2 lakh each to the injured.
Calling the loss “irreparable,” Vijay assured full support from Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam to the victims’ families. In addition, both the state government and the Central government have announced compensation packages for those affected by the tragedy.
The stampede at the Karur rally serves as a grim reminder of the need for stringent crowd control and emergency preparedness measures, especially during large public gatherings.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/india/power-cut-narrow-roads-what-factors-led-to-karur-stampede/story