Ammon News - A campaign rally for a popular Indian actor-turned-politician turned to tragedy on Saturday when at least 39 people were killed and more than 90 injured in a massive crowd crush.

Tens of thousands of people had gathered at a public event in the southern state of Tamil Nadu where Vijay, a star of Tamil cinema known only by his first name, was speaking. Videos from local media showed a throng gathered around a campaign truck, with Vijay addressing the crowd from the vehicle’s roof.

The crush resulted in the deaths of at least 17 women, 13 men, four boys, and five girls, with 93 injured, Tamil Nadu Health Secretary Senthil Kumar confirmed on Sunday. The incident took place at the event organized by Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam party in Karur district.

Actor Pledges Double Compensation
Expressing his grief on X, Vijay wrote, “My heart is broken; I am in unbearable, indescribable pain and sorrow. I express my deepest sympathies and condolences to the families of my dear brothers and sisters who lost their lives in Karur.”

The star pledged compensation of 2 million rupees ($22,500) for each victim’s family and 200,000 rupees ($2,200) for the injured—doubling the amount offered by the government.

Official Inquiry Launched
State Chief Minister MK Stalin called the incident unprecedented, noting, "In the history of our state, never has such a large number of people lost their lives in a program organized by a political party.” He added that he has ordered an inquiry into the incident, which was attended by an estimated 25,000 to 30,000 people.

Eyewitnesses described a chaotic scene, citing difficulties for emergency services to access the injured due to the overwhelming crowds.

Tamil Nadu Police acknowledged that despite providing a larger space given the high turnout at Vijay’s previous rallies, crowd-related factors still led to the tragedy. The local police force is investigating a potential case for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.


CNN