Karur stampede: Vijay to privately visit victims’ families tomorrow, a month after the mishap

Chennai — Actor and politician Vijay will meet the families of the Karur stampede victims on Monday, marking a month since the tragedy. His party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), has arranged the meeting at a resort in Mamallapuram, near Chennai.

The gathering will take place on October 27. Party sources said Vijay plans to spend time with each family and personally offer condolences. TVK has booked around 50 rooms at the resort to host the visiting families. The party also arranged transport from Karur to Chennai.

One family member said, “They have arranged a bus for us. Many families are joining.” The event will remain private. Party insiders said no media or TVK workers will attend.

The meeting has sparked online debate. Some users questioned Vijay’s decision to summon the families instead of visiting Karur himself. Critics said the actor should have gone to the victims’ homes. However, TVK members clarified that local authorities denied him permission to visit Karur directly.

Perumal from Velusamypuram, who lost two daughters in the stampede, said, “He should come to see us. It’s not right that we travel to him.” Party workers said injured survivors would not attend the meet due to health issues.

Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken over the Karur stampede case. The agency re-registered the FIR and began questioning officials involved in crowd control.

Earlier, Vijay spoke to several families through video calls. He spent nearly 20 minutes with each of them, expressing grief and promising support. The actor also announced ₹20 lakh compensation for every family that lost a loved one.

The Karur stampede occurred on September 27 during a welfare event organized by Vijay’s team. The crowd surged as people rushed for free gifts distributed at the venue. The chaos left 41 people dead and over a hundred injured.

Police later said poor crowd management caused the tragedy. The state government ordered an inquiry, and multiple officers faced suspension.

The upcoming meeting in Mamallapuram comes as Vijay prepares for next year’s elections. His outreach to grieving families signals his intent to balance his film career with his growing political ambitions.

The tragedy continues to echo through Tamil Nadu’s political circles, testing both Vijay’s leadership and his public empathy.