Madras HC Orders SIT Probe Into Karur Stampede, Criticizes TVK Party Officials

The Madras High Court has directed the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by senior IPS officer Asra Garg, to investigate the deadly stampede that occurred during actor-politician Vijay's rally in Karur, Tamil Nadu, on September 27. The tragic incident resulted in 41 deaths and left more than 60 people injured.

According to reports, Garg currently serves as the Inspector General of Police, North Zone. A single-judge bench of the court also reportedly criticized the officials of Vijay's party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), for their handling of the event.

The court dismissed a plea seeking a CBI investigation into the stampede, advising the petitioner to approach the Madurai bench of the High Court for further remedies. Additionally, the anticipatory bail plea filed by TVK district secretary N. Sathish Kumar in connection with the case was rejected on Friday.

The bench questioned why the party failed to manage the large crowd and control the unruly behaviour of its members, including instances of rampage and damage to public property during the roadshow. Preliminary investigations suggest that failures in crowd management were a key factor leading to the stampede.

Following the tragedy, Vijay and the TVK party announced a two-week suspension of all political rallies, effectively halting their statewide election campaign. In a statement posted on X in Tamil, the party said:

"In this situation where we are in pain and sorrow over the loss of our loved ones, the public meeting program of our party leader for the next two weeks is being temporarily postponed. We inform you with the approval of our party leader that new details regarding this public meeting will be announced later."

The Madras HC's orders and criticism underline the need for accountability and stricter crowd management in large political events, as investigations into the Karur stampede proceed under the newly constituted SIT.