"Allegations False": TVK Leaders Named In Stampede Case Seek Pre-Arrest Bail

Named in the First Information Report (FIR) in connection with the stampede in Tamil Nadu's Karur last week, in which 41 people were killed, two senior functionaries of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) - General Secretary Bussy Anand and Joint General Secretary CT Nirmal Kumar - have approached the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court seeking pre-arrest bail.

In their bail applications, the leaders plead innocence, describing the allegations as "false, baseless, and intended to implicate us for political reasons". They stressed that they are "law-abiding citizens with no criminal antecedents" and maintained that the stampede was caused purely by an "unexpected surge of a huge crowd beyond the control of any individual."

TVK Leaders Blame Police, "Goondas"

The TVK functionaries placed the blame squarely on the police, claiming they had failed to deploy adequate force despite prior knowledge of the scale of the rally.

"The respondents (police) did not provide sufficient protection to regulate the gathering," the petitions state. They allege goons had infiltrated the crowd, hurled 'chappals' (slippers) at TVK chief Vijay, and even "caused injury with weapons", sparking panic that led to the stampede.

The bail pleas also point to a series of lapses, including the presence of an ambulance "driven without a patient" into the area, which, they say, created unnecessary confusion. The leaders have accused the police of resorting to a lathicharge without cause and say that a power cut occurred within five minutes of Vijay beginning his speech, further fuelling chaos. They argue in their petitions that despite repeated oral requests to women and children not to attend, the police "failed to control the entry of vulnerable groups."

In a section of his petition, one of the leaders says he is innocent and was being targeted for political reasons.

Counter Allegations

The police have firmly denied all allegations and held TVK leaders responsible for negligence. One FIR states that, while his party had said on X that Vijay would arrive at noon, he reached the venue seven hours late. The police added that the TVK also deliberately delayed the programme to showcase the party chief's political strength. The actor-politician's roadshow, they said, was without permission and triggered "unnecessary expectations" among supporters.

Investigators also claim that TVK leaders, including Anand and Nirmal Kumar, defied repeated police warnings and stopped Vijay's vehicle away from the designated spot, and also went ahead with a reception that violated conditions. The cadre allegedly broke barricades and climbed onto a tin shed roof and treetops - both of which collapsed, injuring many. The FIR notes that with no food or water after a long wait, many in the crowd grew weak, worsening the crisis.

Large Crowd 

Permission had been granted for a meeting between 3 pm and 10 pm with an expected attendance of 10,000 people, but police estimate that over 25,000 turned up.

The tragedy on September 27 left 41 people dead, including women and children, and sparked widespread outrage. TVK chief Vijay has since announced a Rs 20 lakh compensation to the families of each victim and Rs 2 lakh to the injured.

The Madurai Bench is expected to hear the bail petitions on Friday.