Karur stampede: Special Investigation Team begins probe
The Special Investigation Team (SIT), appointed by the Madras High Court, has formally begun its inquiry into the deadly stampede that occurred during Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader and actor-turned-politician Vijay’s campaign rally in Karur, which left 41 people dead and more than 100 injured.
The tragedy, one of the worst crowd-control failures in Tamil Nadu in recent years, had sent shockwaves across the country and raised serious questions about public safety at political events.
The court, taking cognisance of multiple petitions and the magnitude of the incident, ordered a high-level probe and transferred the case to a newly constituted SIT under the leadership of Inspector General (IG) Asra Garg.
Until now, the investigation had been handled by Additional Deputy Superintendent of Police (ADSP) Prem Anand, who has now formally handed over all case files, evidence, and preliminary findings to the SIT.
According to sources, this includes witness statements, video footage, and crowd management data collected since the day of the incident.
IG Asra Garg, led the SIT’s first field review at the rally site. Officers surveyed the grounds, examined access and exit points, and evaluated safety arrangements that were in place when the massive crowd turned chaotic.