The Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has sought police permission to hold a public rally in Tamil Nadu's Salem district on December 4, in a bid to resume party chief and actor Vijay's statewide tour that was suspended after the Karur stampede tragedy on September 27 that killed 41 people.
On Tuesday, the party's Salem district secretary submitted a petition to the Salem Police Commissioner, proposing three possible venues - Bose Maidan, Fort Maidan, and a private space in the Seelanaickenpatty area.
The Karur tragedy, which took place at Velusamypuram in Karur district after a large crowd gathered for TVK's political rally, had triggered intense scrutiny of political rallies in the state.
The Tamil Nadu government is expected to submit to the Madras High Court on Friday the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) it has drafted in consultation with political parties to prevent such tragedies. TVK had earlier moved the court seeking uniform rules for rallies across parties, alleging that the police were imposing "impractical and tough conditions" exclusively on TVK.
Police sources in Salem said the request is under review. Some officials point out that December 4 coincides with the major festival day at the Thiruvannamalai temple in Tiruvannamalai district, for which police forces are mobilised from several districts. They also note that the proposed date falls close to the anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition, typically a period of heightened security duties.
The Karur tragedy is currently being investigated by the CBI, following a Supreme Court directive for a probe monitored by a panel headed by a retired Supreme Court judge.
Earlier, the Tamil Nadu Police blamed TVK for the stampede, citing a "terrible delay" in Vijay's arrival that led to surging crowds, coupled with a lack of food arrangements that left attendees dehydrated and weak. TVK has rejected the allegations, instead accusing the police of failing to control crowds as Vijay approached the venue, calling the incident a conspiracy by the ruling DMK.
