Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Friday visited Karur for the first time since assuming office in May, where he recalled memories of the September 2025 stampede that claimed 41 lives and left several injured.
Speaking about the incident, Vijay said that the administration had received warnings regarding crowds in nearby areas but not in Karur.
“Perambalur police alerted us that the crowd had become very large. But Karur police did not give us any such alert. They themselves brought us to the spot, and I believed them.”
When Vijay questioned the arrangements made for the event, he sought accountability for the tragedy and raised concerns about police deployment at the scene. “Who is responsible for all this? Who gave the orders? I ask you, was adequate police protection given to such a huge crowd?” News agency ANI quoted him as saying.
The stampede claimed the lives of many children who had gathered to see it, the TVK leader said, adding that the loss made the tragedy particularly painful on a personal level.
Referring to the victims, he said, “We lost our sisters’ children in the Karur stampede of 2025,” news agency PTI reported.
Targets DMK, AIADMK
During his speech, Vijay also trained his guns on the opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, alleging corruption and misuse of funds collected in the name of party funds.
Vijay also raised questions about the security arrangements made during the 2025 march and accused political opponents of trying to reap political benefits from the tragedy.
Without naming specific individuals, he criticized what he described as efforts to create “drama” around the incident and seek “political gain” from the deaths of the victims.
TVK to build a memorial to the stampede victims
Announcing the erection of a memorial for those who died in the stampede, Vijay said the building would be built by TVK in Karur as a lasting tribute to the victims. He said the memorial would serve as a reminder of the tragedy for future generations and help ensure similar incidents are not forgotten.
“In order to make the next generation aware of the plot and plot against us, so that no one thinks of another political conspiracy, we announce that a memorial will be built in Karur on behalf of our TVK,” he said.
Vijay said the memorial would also preserve what he described as the circumstances surrounding the incident and prevent the tragedy from being exploited for political purposes.
