TVK organisers deliberately delayed arrival of Vijay at Karur, claims FIR of Karur Town police

The first information report booked by the Karur Town police on the stampede during the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader Vijay’s meeting in Karur on Saturday (September 27, 2025) has charged that the party organisers had deliberately planned and delayed the arrival of Vijay at the town.

People who waited in large numbers for several hours without water and medical assistance experienced fatigue because of the heat and crowding, which consequently led to a stampede resulting in multiple deaths, the FIR said.

The FIR was registered on a suo motu complaint by the Inspector of Karur Town police station G. Manivannan on Saturday night under four sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and under the Tamil Nadu Public Property (Prevention of Damage and Loss) Act. It named the TVK state general secretary ‘Bussy’ Anand, party’s state joint secretary C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar and the party’s district secretary Mathiazhagan as accused.

As per the FIR, around 500 police personnel and home guards were deployed for bandobust and traffic regulation in Karur town and its surroundings for Vijay’s campaign at Velusamypuram. Public and party cadre began to assemble in large numbers from 10 a.m. following reports that Vijay would arrive at Karur at 12 noon.

The FIR further said despite the police having given permission for Vijay’s meeting from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., the organisers deliberately planned and delayed the arrival of Vijay at Karur by four hours, with the intention of exhibiting their political strength. The huge gathering of people who waited for several hours experienced fatigue.

It said the general public and party supporters began to assemble from 10 a.m. at Velusamypuram main road, Kovai road, Muniyappan Koil junction, Thirukampuliyur roundtana and the Madurai-Salem bypass road. The number of people who had gathered for the meeting was over 25,000 although Mr. Mathiazhagan had mentioned in the petition that 10,000 cadre would come. 

The FIR stated that Vijay entered Karur district through the border of Velayuthampalayam and Thavitupalayam at around 4.45 p.m. It alleged that he deliberately delayed and indulged in a roadshow without permission, causing hindrance to public and vehicular movements, thereby violating the conditions at several places to reach Muniappan koil junction around 6 p.m. Vijay’s vehicle was taken on the wrong side of the carriageway (on the right side) to reach Velusamypuram junction and stopped in the midst of a large gathering at 7 p.m. 

The FIR said the Inspector and the Deputy Superintendent of Police cautioned Mr. Anand, Mr. Nirmal Kumar and Mr. Mathiazhagan many times, and advised them that such a large gathering, beyond the control of police personnel deployed for bandobust, with unnecessary expectations would create an unusual situation which could lead to congestion, shortness of breath, injury and loss of life.

However, they refused to listen, it claimed. Mr. Mathiazhagan and other functionaries did not regulate the crowd properly, and people climbed onto sloped tin roofs put up atop shops and nearby trees. Due to this, the tin sheds and tree branches broke and the cadre seated on them fell on those standing, leading to shortness of breath, and thereby creating an extraordinary situation, it further said.