Vijay reviews Karur stampede site, seeks accountability and announces memorial
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay visited Karur on Friday for the first time after assuming office and paid tribute to those who lost their lives in the 2025 stampede. During his visit, he questioned the handling of the event by the local police and announced that a memorial would be built in memory of the 41 victims.
Addressing the gathering, Vijay said officials from neighbouring Perambalur had reportedly alerted authorities about an unusually large crowd, but no comparable warning had been issued by the Karur Police. He added that the local police had escorted him to the venue, leading him to rely on their assessment of the situation.
The Chief Minister also sought clarity on who was responsible for crowd management and whether enough police personnel had been deployed to ensure public safety at the event.
He accused opposition parties, including the DMK and AIADMK, of attempting to gain political mileage from the tragedy instead of concentrating on justice for the victims and support for their families.
Vijay further announced that Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) would establish a memorial in Karur to honour those who died. He said the monument would preserve the memory of the victims while highlighting the importance of crowd management, accountability and preventing similar incidents in the future.