TVK leader Vijay is expected to meet the families of 41 Karur stampede victims in Chennai on October 27, sources tell CNN-News 18.
“Our leader wants to have a meaningful meeting with the victims’ families
and may spend five to six hours with them. Chennai is a more controlled environment, and we are in the final stages of finalising a venue,” a source said.
41 people died in a stampede at a Tamil Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party meeting held by its leader and actor-politician Vijay on September 27.
Top TVK sources mentioned that securing a venue in Karur was a “Himalayan task”.
“We tried many venues in Karur but didn’t get any. The venue suggested by Karur police was not suitable for the safety of the leader and the victim families. There was no compound wall, and it was like a godown. How can it accommodate many people? Also, managing crowds there would have been difficult. So we rejected that venue,” a source said.
Except for one family, the others have agreed to travel anywhere to meet the leader, the TVK source added.
TVK has faced backlash for the delay in Vijay’s Karur visit. The party, however, stated that every time they fixed a place in Karur, it was cancelled a few hours later. They had no choice but to explore other districts.
Tens of thousands of supporters had gathered at the venue for Vijay’s rally, despite police only allowing 10,000 people. Vijay arrived at the venue nearly six hours behind schedule, intensifying the already chaotic situation. As he began his speech, the restless crowd surged towards the stage, breaking through barricades and triggering the stampede.
TVK chief Vijay will decide the party’s next course of action only after meeting the Karur families. The party had temporarily suspended its yatra following the Karur incident. All eyes are on Vijay and his party’s next moves and strategies for the 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly polls.
