Chennai: In a charged video message that has ignited fresh political fireworks, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief and actor Vijay has implored Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin to spare his party workers from reprisals, even as he vows to face any fallout over the tragic Karur stampede that claimed 41 lives last week.
The 400-km distant Karur district, site of Vijay’s rally turned nightmare, saw crowds swell from an estimated 10,000 to over 25,000, overwhelming security. Police had urged organisers to stop proceedings 50 metres short, but the advice went unheeded, the state government revealed.
Vijay, who exited early citing safety concerns, skipped a condolence visit to avoid “abnormal situations” and promised swift meetings with bereaved families.
“My party officials have been arrested, CM sir. If revenge is on your mind, come to my home or office — do whatever you wish to me, but don’t touch them,” Vijay declared on social media, hinting at the imminent unmasking of “truth.” Two TVK leaders, including district secretary Mathiyazhagan and city official Paun Raj, were remanded for 14 days alongside seniors Bassi N Anand and CTR Nirmal Kumar, facing charges over the September 27 chaos.
As DMK faces accusations of vendetta, BJP MP Anurag Thakur, after visiting the ravaged site — strewn with discarded slippers, uprooted trees, and shattered canopies — demanded a probe by a sitting Supreme Court judge. “The administration and TVK share the blame; thousands of shoes still litter the ground, a grim testament to the frenzy,” he said, slamming lapses in crowd control and delayed aid to nearby private hospitals.
With judicial custody tightening and tempers flaring, the stampede’s shadows loom large over Tamil Nadu’s turbulent poll landscape, testing Vijay’s transition from reel hero to real-world crusader.