Karur, September 29
Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday reached the site of the September 27 stampede in Karur in Tamil Nadu in which 41 people lost their lives.
The Union Minister then visited the Government Medical College Hospital in Karur.
Earlier today, she arrived at the Coimbatore International Airport before proceeding to the site of the stampede that took place during a public event of TVK (Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam) chief and actor Vijay.
Sitharaman was accompanied by Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs L Murugan.
Meanwhile, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court will hear later today a case filed by TVK in the stampede.
The Tamil Nadu government has today appointed Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Premanandan as the new investigating officer to lead the probe into the stampede that occurred during the TVK president's rally.
The death toll rose to 41 today, with two more victims succumbing to injuries, while 67 others continue to receive treatment in various hospitals.
Among the deceased are 18 women, 13 men, five young girls, and five young boys.
So far, 34 victims are from the Karur district, two each from the Erode, Tiruppur, and Dindigul districts, and one from the Salem district.
The massive crowd at Vijay's rally on Saturday evening reportedly turned chaotic, triggering panic.
Several attendees fainted and were rushed to nearby hospitals. Sources had said that overcrowding at the venue led to the tragedy.
TVK president Vijay has termed the loss "irreparable", said he stands with the bereaved families and confirmed Rs 20 lakh compensation for each family of the deceased and Rs 2 lakh for the injured.
"No words can comfort this pain, but I share your grief," he said.
Political leaders across party lines, including Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, opposition leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami, and Union leaders, have expressed grief and called for strict measures to prevent recurrence.
Chief Minister MK Stalin, expressing deep grief, said, "This is an unbearable loss for Tamil Nadu. We have ordered a judicial inquiry and appointed a new senior officer to ensure accountability and prevent such tragedies in the future."
He also announced compensation of Rs 10 lakh for each family of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh for each person undergoing treatment.
Opposition leader Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) accused the government of failing to anticipate the massive turnout. "Despite knowing Vijay's rally would attract thousands, there was inadequate crowd management and security. The government must take responsibility for these avoidable deaths," he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also announced that the families of the deceased would receive two lakh rupees each from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund.
PM Modi also announced an amount of Rs 50,000 each for the people injured in the tragic incident.
TN Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin and other ministers visited the Karur Government Medical College Hospital on Sunday to oversee the treatment of the injured and review relief operations.
Demands have also been raised by parties like VCK, TMC, and DMDK for enhanced compensation to the victims' families.
— ANI
Reader Comments
While I appreciate the compensation announcements and political visits, we need serious accountability. How many more stampedes before we learn proper crowd management? The state government should have anticipated this given Vijay's popularity.
As someone who has attended political rallies in Tamil Nadu, I can say the infrastructure is often inadequate for large crowds. This was completely preventable with better planning and security arrangements. My prayers for the victims' families.
Respect to Vijay for taking responsibility and offering substantial compensation. Not many celebrities would do this. The judicial inquiry must identify what went wrong and ensure such tragedies never happen again.
The compensation from both state and central governments is welcome, but no amount of money can bring back lost lives. We need stricter regulations for public events and better emergency response systems across India.
While the political response has been swift, I hope this doesn't become just another news cycle. The victims' families need long-term support, and we need concrete changes in how large gatherings are managed in India.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.