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After Karur Tragedy: TVK Launches 'Thondar Ani' for Crowd Safety

Following the tragic stampede in Karur, TVK has launched a new volunteer wing called 'Thondar Ani'. This initiative aims to ensure effective crowd management and public safety at their events. The volunteers are being trained by a team of seven retired police officers on protocols and emergency response. This move is part of Vijay's broader effort to build a more disciplined and professional party structure.

Key Points: TVK Launches Thondar Ani Volunteer Wing After Karur Stampede

  • New wing formed after 41 died in September Karur stampede
  • Trained by seven retired senior police officers including an ex-ADGP
  • Will manage crowd movement and coordinate with police and medics
  • Part of Vijay's plan to professionalise TVK for 2026 elections
2 min read

After Karur tragedy, TVK launches 'Thondar Ani' for crowd management

TVK launches 'Thondar Ani', a trained volunteer wing for crowd management and public safety, following the deadly Karur stampede that killed 41.

"Vijay wants the party to be known for its discipline, organisation, and preparedness. - Senior TVK Leader"

Chennai, Nov 4

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has launched a new volunteers’ wing, 'Thondar Ani', to ensure effective crowd management and public safety during its events and campaigns.

The move follows the September 27 stampede at Karur, where 41 people were killed and more than 60 were injured during Vijay’s roadshow -- one of the biggest political gatherings the party has witnessed so far.

According to party sources, the tragedy exposed the absence of a structured volunteer force capable of managing massive crowds, prompting TVK to form Thondar Ani on the lines of the DMK and MDMK, both of which maintain trained internal teams for handling large public meetings.

The new wing will oversee crowd movement, establish safety perimeters, and coordinate with police and medical teams during all major programmes.

Seven retired police officers, including V.A. Ravikumar, IPS (ADGP, Retd.), P. Ashokan (ASP, Retd.), Sabibulla (Ex-DSP), Thillainayagam (DSP, Retd.), R. Sivalingam (DSP, Retd.), R. Lakshminarayanan (DSP, Retd.), and R. Mathiarasu (DSP, Retd.), have conducted training sessions for selected TVK functionaries.

The training covered crowd psychology, public safety protocols, coordination with law enforcement, and emergency-response measures. Party insiders said the initiative is part of Vijay’s broader effort to professionalise the TVK’s organisational structure ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.

“Vijay wants the party to be known for its discipline, organisation, and preparedness. Thondar Ani will ensure that our events remain safe for the public while maintaining order and efficiency,” a senior leader said.

In addition to forming Thondar Ani, TVK has also appointed office-bearers for its students’, women’s, and volunteers’ wings across 65 district units, signalling an extensive grassroots expansion.

The party’s recent events across Tamil Nadu have drawn record-breaking crowds, underscoring the growing mass appeal of Vijay’s political movement -- and the urgent need for a robust internal mechanism to ensure such gatherings are managed safely and responsibly.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rajesh Q
Good move by TVK! Having retired police officers train volunteers shows they're serious about public safety. Hope other parties also learn from this and implement similar systems.
S
Sarah B
As someone who attended the Karur event, I appreciate this step. The chaos was terrifying that day. Proper crowd management should be mandatory for all political rallies across India.
A
Arjun K
While I welcome this initiative, I'm concerned about political volunteers having too much power over public movement. There should be clear protocols and accountability measures in place.
K
Kavya N
Excellent decision! Public safety should be the top priority for any political party. The families who lost their loved ones in Karur deserve to see meaningful changes like this. 🙏
M
Michael C
Smart political move ahead of 2026 elections. Professionalizing party structure shows Vijay means business. This could set a new standard for political organizations in Tamil Nadu.

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