Rally for Indian actor-politician turns to tragedy as crush kills 39
Laura Sharman Esha Mitra
(CNN) — Tragedy hit a campaign rally for a popular Indian actor turned politician on Saturday, when at least 39 people were killed and more than 90 injured in a crowd crush.
Tens of thousands of people had gathered at a public event in the southern state of Tamil Nadu where Vijay, a star of Tamil cinema known only by his first name, was speaking.
Videos from local media showed a throng gathered around a campaign truck, with Vijay addressing the crowd from the vehicle’s roof.
He could be seen throwing water bottles down to fainting supporters, before calling for police help as the situation turned dangerous.
At least 17 women, 13 men, four boys and five girls died and 93 were injured at the event held by Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam party in Karur district, Tamil Nadu Health Secretary Senthil Kumar confirmed on Sunday.
“My heart is broken; I am in unbearable, indescribable pain and sorrow,” Vijay wrote on X.
“I express my deepest sympathies and condolences to the families of my dear brothers and sisters who lost their lives in Karur. I pray for a speedy recovery for those who are undergoing treatment in the hospital.”
The star pledged compensation of 2 million rupees ($22,500) for each victim’s family and 200,000 rupees ($2,200) for those injured – doubling the amount offered by the government.
“In the history of our state never has such a large number of people lost their lives in a program organized by a political party,” said MK Stalin, chief minister of the state.
He added that he has ordered an inquiry, led by a High Court judge, into the incident – which was attended by an estimated 25,000 to 30,000 people.
Durai Swamy said his brother lost his wife and two daughters, aged eight and four, at the rally.
“He is distraught, he won’t talk to me. His entire family is gone,” he told CNN. “They had attended the rally because they wanted to see Vijay and it was almost like a festival. We got their bodies this morning. I don’t know how he will move forward.”
The grieving family of another victim could be seen in tears as they received their body, in video from Indian broadcaster ANI.
“It was very difficult and gut-wrenching to see what happened,” Zakir, who also lost a relative in the crush, told ANI.
At least 44 doctors from the nearby districts of Salem and Tiruchirappalli were sent to Karur, according to media reports.
However, eyewitnesses said emergency services had difficulty with access due to the overwhelming crowds.
“Ambulances couldn’t get in,” Suriya told ANI. “There wasn’t enough space for people to stand. It took a very long time to bring people out.”
“Nothing could be done to control the crowd,” another witness told the outlet. “Everyone came excited to see a star. What can anyone do if 10, 15 times more people show up than expected?”
Tamil Nadu Police said a larger space had been provided for Vijay’s political rally, given the high turnout at his previous two rallies. However crowd-related factors still led to a tragedy, they said.
Director general of the force Davisdon Devasirvatham said: “It’s a long stretch of road. What happens is that people also follow the vehicles and they don’t stay there, they will follow the vehicle, so that’s also the issue and adds to the pressure here.”
Kanur Town Police is investigating a potential case for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, but further details have not been confirmed.
Separate concerns were raised of a sudden power cut that may have caused panic among the crowd, in a formal message to the prime minister from an advocate of India’s Supreme Court.
From silver screen to politics
For three decades, Vijay has been a top draw in Tamil-language films, a growing segment of India’s film industry.
He formed Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam last year, and has drawn large crowds since launching his campaign ahead of state elections early next year.
The regional party has targeted both the state ruling party DMK and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party.
“The unfortunate incident during a political rally in Karur, Tamil Nadu, is deeply saddening,” Modi said in a post on X on Saturday evening.
Vijay’s rallies have sparked safety concerns before. At least six people reportedly died following the first meeting of his political party last October.
Even with police-imposed restrictions, such as limits on convoy size and changes to venues, the massive crowds have consistently overwhelmed local infrastructure.
This story has been updated with additional developments.
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