Stampede Victim Wants Court Ban On Actor Vijay Rallies Till Tragedy Probed

The Madras High Court will hear today a petition filed by a victim of the stampede at TVK chief Vijay's rally, seeking a ban on TVK's public meetings till the probe into the tragedy is completed. The stampede at the actor-politician's rally in Karur has left 40 people dead and nearly 100 injured.

Senthilkannan, who says he suffered injuries during the stampede, has said the incident was "not a mere accident but the direct result of reckless planning, gross mismanagement, and complete disregard for public safety".

He has urged the court to restrain Tamil Nadu police from granting permission for any TVK rally, arguing that the Right to Life under Article 21 of the Constitution must override the Right to Assembly when public safety is at stake.

The petition also points to the FIR registered at Karur Town police station in connection with the stampede tragedy. The FIR has invoked multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The petition stresses that accountability must be fixed before permissions are granted again.

Saturday's rally at Veluswamypuram, Karur, turned deadly when a crowd of nearly 27,000 surged forward after Vijay's delayed arrival, leading to the deaths of 40 people, including women and children. Tamil Nadu's Director General of Police, G Venkataraman, has admitted that only 500 police personnel were deployed at the venue despite the unexpectedly large turnout.

The tragedy has sparked a political storm, with Chief Minister MK Stalin ordering a judicial probe headed by Justice Aruna Jagadeesan and announcing relief measures. The state police have booked top TVK leaders, including the party's general secretary N Anand.

TVK is set to approach the Madras High Court for an independent investigation. The party has claimed it has evidence of a criminal conspiracy behind the stampede.