Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Friday blamed the Karur Police for failing to warn his party about the massive crowd that led to the deadly
stampede in 2025, saying authorities never alerted TVK leaders despite being aware of the situation. Addressing a public gathering during his first visit to Karur since becoming chief minister in May, Vijay said the police had acted differently during an earlier rally in Perambalur, where officials advised the party to cancel the event due to overcrowding. "The Perambalur Police alerted us that the crowd was getting too large. But the Karur Police didn't give us any such alert. They themselves brought us to the venue, and I believed them," Vijay said. The chief minister also announced that a memorial would be built in Karur to commemorate the victims of the tragedy and serve as a reminder for future generations. "Memorial will be built in remembrance of Karur stampede victims, no such incidents should repeat with political mileage," he said.
Vijay returns to Karur as CM
Vijay arrived in Karur on Friday for his first official visit to the district since assuming office in May, meeting families of the 41 people who lost their lives in the stampede at a Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam rally he had attended on September 27 last year. The visit, centred around the distribution of compassionate appointment orders to eligible family members, was cleared by the Madras High Court hours before it was scheduled to begin, with the court permitting the government to proceed while making clear the appointments would remain temporary and subject to judicial review.
Security was tight for the Chief Minister's visit, with around 5,000 police personnel deployed across Karur. TVK General Secretary and State Minister N Anand said attendance at the programme would be limited to 5,000 people carrying QR code-based entry passes, urging the public to strictly adhere to security protocols.
Despite the restrictions, crowds lined the streets of Karur to catch a glimpse of the Chief Minister's convoy, with billboards welcoming him put up across the city.
(With agency inputs)
