Karur: Actor-turned-politician Vijay on Tuesday spoke to the families of people who lost their lives in the Karur stampede through a WhatsApp video call. During the call, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief expressed condolences to the bereaved families.
"I am with you, I will stand by you," Vijay told the grieving families while expressing sympathy, as reported by India Today.
At least 41 people lost their lives in the stampede that took place in Tamil Nadu's Karur during the actor-turned-politician's rally. Over 60 people also reported sustained injuries during the stampede.
An FIR filed in connection with the tragic incident blamed the TVK chief for the stampede. As per the FIR, Vijay remained inside his campaign vehicle at the venue for an extended period, which led to overcrowding and restlessness among the people present at the spot. The actor-turned-politician is facing flak from the ruling DMK government over the incident.
According to the state police, around 30,000 people were gather at the the venue of Vijay's rally. Notably, the venue reportedly had a capacity of handling only 10,000 people. As per officials, security guidelines were also violated, and there was no proper arrangements for food and drinking water which contributed to the tragedy.
Three members of Vijay's party were booked in connection with the stampede. However, no FIR has ben field against the actor-turned politician.
After the incident, a Special Investigation Team (SIT), appointed by the Madras High Court, has started its investigation into the stampede incident. Until Sunday (October 5) , the investigation had been handled by Additional Deputy Superintendent of Police (ADSP) Prem Anand, who has now formally handed over all case files, evidence, and preliminary findings to the SIT.
The Madras High Court has directed the SIT to conduct an impartial and time-bound investigation and submit periodic updates.
