The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday (January 12) questioned actor-turned-politician Vijay in connection with the deadly Karur rally stampede that occurred in September last year, claiming 41 lives, including nine children, and injuring over 50 attendees.
Vijay, who leads the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party, appeared before investigators to answer questions regarding alleged delays and crowd management failures at the rally, held about 400 km from Chennai.
Key Issues Under Scrutiny
A central focus of the CBI questioning was the reported seven-hour delay in Vijay’s arrival at the venue. Investigators are examining whether this gap between the scheduled start and his actual arrival contributed to the overcrowding and loss of control.
The agency is also probing the coordination between party workers, local police, and the district administration. Estimates suggest that the crowd swelled from 10,000 to nearly 30,000, raising questions about the planning and execution of the event. The CBI is analyzing the party’s organizational structure to determine responsibility for logistics, including who decided to hold the rally in Karur and when Vijay was informed.
About the Stampede
Vijay has been a major Tamil cinema star for over three decades, attracting massive crowds since launching TVK in 2024. On the evening of September 2025, around 7:30 pm, panic erupted shortly after Vijay began addressing supporters, many of whom had been waiting since afternoon. Overcrowding, fainting, and falling attendees triggered the stampede. Several women and children were among those affected. Vijay reportedly stopped his speech, distributed water bottles to stricken attendees, and requested police assistance as the situation escalated.
Investigation Context
The Supreme Court handed the case to the CBI after a petition from TVK requested an independent probe into the tragedy. The agency is continuing to assess the factors that led to the disaster, including delays, safety measures, and crowd management.