Key Points

"An unfortunate incident happened; a regrettable one," Venkataraman told reporters in an early morning briefing, adding that the tragedy was caused by an unexpected surge in the crowd and poor amenities at the venue.

The DGP said one of the triggers for the rush was confusion over the timing of Vijay's arrival. "Permission for the meeting was sought between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m. But the TVK Twitter account said he would arrive at noon, so people began gathering from 11 a.m. He actually came at 7.40 p.m. The public had to wait in the hot sun without enough food and water," he explained.

While organisers expected about 10,000 attendees, nearly 27,000 people converged on Velusamypuram to see Vijay. Police had prepared for around 20,000.

"Our intention is not to blame anyone, but these are the facts," Venkataraman said, adding that a frenzied welcome for Vijay at one point caused a forward push as fans followed him into the venue.

On questions about possible security lapses, the DGP stressed that the event was held on a public road, making additional barricading difficult. "The police are only extra help; we clearly briefed organisers about crowd and safety measures," he said.

The senior officer added that while about 500 police personnel were initially deployed, more forces were mobilised as the situation escalated.

Presently, ADGP (Law & Order) Davidson Devasirvatham, three Inspectors General, two DIGs, 10 Superintendents of Police and over 2,000 additional personnel have been rushed to Karur.

The state government has ordered a judicial inquiry headed by retired High Court judge Justice Aruna Jagadeesan to investigate the cause and fix accountability.

The tragedy -- among Tamil Nadu's worst at a political event -- has triggered widespread calls for stronger safety norms and better crowd management at large gatherings.

- IANS