The Karur City Police on Tuesday produced Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) Karur West District Secretary Mathiyazhagan and Karur town functionary Paun Raj in court following their medical examination.
Both were arrested in connection with the stampede during TVK chief Vijay’s rally in Karur on September 27, which claimed 41 lives.
Arrests In The Case
According to ADGP Davidson Devasirvatham, Mathiyazhagan was arrested earlier in the day for his role in arranging flagpoles and flex banners at the rally venue. Paun Raj, who helped organize the event, was also arrested for providing shelter to Mathiyazhagan.
Chennai Police confirmed that YouTuber and journalist Felix Gerald has also been arrested in connection with the case.
The Tragic Incident
The stampede occurred when a massive crowd gathered for Vijay’s campaign rally turned chaotic, triggering panic. Several attendees fainted and were rushed to nearby hospitals.
The death toll has risen to 41, including 18 women and 10 children, making it one of the deadliest political rally incidents in Tamil Nadu in recent years.
Political Leaders Visit Families
Union Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and L. Murugan, along with Tamil Nadu BJP president Nainar Nagenthran, visited the families of the victims to offer condolences.
BJP chief JP Nadda has also set up an eight-member NDA delegation to investigate the circumstances surrounding the tragedy. The delegation, convened by BJP MP Hema Malini, includes Anurag Thakur, Tejasvi Surya, Braj Lal, Aprajita Sarangi, Rekha Sharma, Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde, and TDP leader Putta Mahesh Kumar.
Nadda expressed “heartfelt condolences” to the bereaved families and prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured.
Government Response
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has announced a judicial inquiry into the incident, appointing retired High Court judge Aruna Jagadeesan to head the one-member commission.
Calling for accountability in organizing mass gatherings, Stalin urged political parties and public organizations to frame proper rules for conducting events responsibly.
Meanwhile, Nirmala Sitharaman emphasized the need for a standard operating procedure to manage large public gatherings in order to prevent such tragedies in the future.
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