Vijay begins outreach to Karur stampede victims' families via video calls

Chennai, Oct 7 (IANS) Actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay has begun reaching out to the families of those killed in the Karur rally stampede, making video calls to express condolences and pledge support.

The move comes after days of sharp criticism over his absence at the tragedy site. The stampede occurred on September 27 at Veluchamipuram in Karur during Vijay's first major political roadshow since launching his party.

Though the venue was meant to hold only a few thousand people, nearly 30,000 supporters had arrived since early morning.

The event, scheduled for noon, started only in the evening, creating restlessness in the tightly packed crowd.

Eyewitnesses said chaos erupted when Vijay climbed onto his campaign vehicle to greet fans, triggering a sudden surge that caused many to fall and get trampled.

In the resulting stampede, 41 people, including women and children, lost their lives, and over 60 were injured.

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, Opposition Leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami, and other senior leaders like Seeman, Premalatha Vijayakanth, and Kamal Haasan visited the victims' families and the injured soon after the disaster.

Vijay's decision to stay away drew wide public and political backlash, with critics calling it an emotional misstep.

Sources in TVK said Vijay has now personally spoken with around 20 bereaved families through video calls, offering deep condolences and assuring that the party would stand with them.

He also promised to meet the families in person once official investigations and relief processes move forward.

As part of his support, Vijay will provide Rs 20 lakh each to the families of the deceased, in addition to compensation already announced by the Tamil Nadu government.

Senior TVK leaders have been deputed to visit homes of victims, convey solidarity on behalf of the party, and assess urgent needs.

The outreach comes as Vijay works to contain the political fallout from the tragedy and rebuild TVK's organisational capacity for mass events.

Party insiders say he is reviewing safety protocols and considering a trained volunteer corps to manage future gatherings.

Observers view the effort as both a humane response to grieving families and an attempt to repair public perception after one of Tamil Nadu's deadliest political event's disasters.

--IANS

aal/svn