Karur Rally Stampede More Controvercey

 

: Leaked Letter Deepens Blame Game in Vijay’s Political Debut

Actor-turned-politician Vijay’s entry into Tamil Nadu politics has been jolted by one of the state’s worst rally disasters. A leaked letter now shows that his party, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), had asked for a temporary power shutdown during his September 27 event in Karur — a rally that ended in a stampede killing 41 people and injuring more than 60.

What began as a show of strength has spiralled into a political crisis. Survivors, officials, and TVK insiders are trading accusations, with conflicting accounts over whether a blackout triggered the panic. TVK has since moved the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, seeking to hand the investigation to the CBI. Chief Minister M. K. Stalin has urged calm and warned against spreading rumours, even as compensation packages were announced by the state and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Electricity Board officials confirmed TVK’s written request, which cited fears that overexcited fans might climb rooftops and treetops, endangering themselves. The EB said the request was rejected and insisted uninterrupted supply was provided. Yet eyewitnesses, including a family who lost three members, insist there was a half-hour blackout just before Vijay’s arrival. Postmortem reports confirmed deaths due to asphyxiation, consistent with survivors’ accounts of a crush in the darkness.

The Tamil Nadu government maintains there was no official power cut, dismissing reports of state involvement. Its Fact Check Unit attributed the brief dimming to a generator fault in TVK’s own arrangements. But the leaked letter has fuelled suspicions, with opposition leaders and critics accusing TVK of trying to deflect blame by invoking conspiracies.

Vijay, who recently announced his retirement from films to pursue politics full-time, now faces the toughest test of his fledgling career. Once hailed as the next MGR, his party is caught between tragedy, suspicion, and the expectations of millions of fans who see him as a symbol of hope.