CM Vijay announces memorial for Karur stampede victims, faults police for not informing him of the crowd

Announcing that the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam would build a memorial for those who were killed in the stampede during its election campaign in Karur on September 27, 2025, party leader and Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay said on Friday (July 10, 2026) that the tragedy could have been averted had the police alerted him to the gathering of a huge crowd at  Velusamypuram where he had addressed the rally.

Speaking at a public meeting held on the outskirts of Karur, Mr. Vijay, who visited the city for the first time after assuming office as the Chief Minister, said that during his election campaign earlier, the police had alerted him to the huge crowd gathered at Perambalur even when he was in Ariyalur and advised him to cancel the meeting. He had also agreed to the suggestion, considering the safety of the people.

‘Who gave the instructions?’

“Similarly, the Karur police could have alerted me… The police had the power to cancel meetings if they sensed that something could go wrong. There was no need to consult the organisers. But the police had escorted me to the venue from the highway. I also thanked the police then, but did not think that a drama would unfold. What was the reason and who gave instructions to the police,” Mr. Vijay wondered.

He said the incident had caused him severe pain and suffering as it claimed many lives, including those of children and women. But he was accused of fleeing the venue without meeting them. The police, he alleged, had failed to post sufficient personnel commensurate with the crowd strength.

The Chief Minister said the Opposition had labelled his government as a ‘sofa model’ and ‘washing machine model’. It was the DMK that had a ‘vending machine’ for orchestrating political business. The people had dethroned the culture of bribing voters in elections. His party would not indulge in backdoor politics, Mr. Vijay said, responding to the charges levelled by the Opposition parties that the TVK had indulged in horse-trading.

‘Owner on the run’

In an indirect attack on the DMK and former Minister V. Senthilbalaji, Mr. Vijay said the party had swindled the people’s money through dubious means and the “owner of a Karur company” was on the run and another former Minister had fled to Singapore.

Without naming the DMK and the AIADMK, Mr. Vijay alleged that the theeya sakthi (evil force) and the theerntha sakthi (depleted force) were no different and were joint looters. He challenged them to prove that they had no truck whatsoever.

Mr. Vijay said several irregularities and malpractices running into lakhs and crores of rupees during the previous government had been unearthed. Public money was looted in the name of “party fund” in government departments, he alleged. “Those who said corruption cannot be eradicated should visit government offices now; not a rupee is being taken as bribe. People heave a sigh of relief and we are so happy,” he said, urging the people not to pay even if officials sought bribe.

‘Case was not argued properly’

Criticising the DMK government for its handling of the Mekedatu issue, the Chief Minister said the Supreme Court had rejected a petition of the State against the preparation of a detailed project report by Karnataka for building a dam across the Cauvery at Mekedatu  when the DMK was in power. “The previous government, headed by M.K.Stalin, had failed to argue the case properly,” he said.

His government had passed a resolution in the Assembly against any dam at Mekedatu, and was clear on protecting the rights of the farmers and the State. It would raise the issue where it was required and would not indulge in fake narratives, Mr. Vijay said.