President of India Droupadi Murmu.
| Photo Credit: R. RAGU
President of India Droupadi Murmu expressed anguish over the tragic loss of lives in a stampede at a Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam meeting (TVK) in Karur district. “I extend my deepest condolences to the bereaved family members and pray for early recovery of those injured,” she said.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said he was deeply anguished by the tragic accident. Calling the loss of innocent lives truly heart-breaking, he offered his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved and prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also expressed sorrow over the incident. He said he was deeply saddened by the tragic stampede and extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. “I pray to the Almighty God for the strength to endure this sorrow and for the swift recovery of those who were injured,” he said in a post on X.
Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi said he was deeply pained and anguished by the tragic loss of innocent lives, including children. Extending his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved in this time of grief, he offered prayers for the speedy recovery of those injured.
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami expressed shock and grief over the incident.
In a post on X, he extended his condolences to the affected families. Mr. Palaniswami said he had deputed former Minister M.R. Vijayabhaskar to visit the hospital and extend help to those who had been admitted.
He added that he had instructed AIADMK cadre to form a human chain at the hospital, as there was a huge crowd, and extend help in a coordinated manner. He urged the State government to take immediate measures to ensure proper treatment to the injured and provide appropriate compensation to the families of those who died in the incident.
Demand for probe
Expressing shock over the deaths, CPI(M) State secretary P. Shanmugam said the Madras High Court should take up a suo motu probe into the circumstances that led to the stampede. “No campaign meeting has witnessed loss of life on such a scale. The attitude of Vijay’s fans, that they should not be subject to any restrictions, is the root cause of the problem,” he said. He added that it was a matter of deep sorrow that children were also among the victims.
PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss also condemned the stampede and demanded a high-level judicial inquiry into the incident. Calling the loss of life “deeply shocking and entirely avoidable,” he said: “The deaths of over 31 people at a campaign event cannot be justified under any circumstances. This tragedy is due to serious lapses in crowd management and coordination by the organisers and police.”
He extended his condolences to the victims’ families and called for a compensation of ₹10 lakh per family. He urged officials to provide medical care to the injured and wished them a speedy recovery.
Published – September 28, 2025 01:38 am IST
