Karur stampede could have been averted if larger venue was allotted: Hema Malini

Chennai:  A fact-finding delegation of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by BJP MP and actor Hema Malini, visited Karur on Tuesday to assess the circumstances surrounding the tragic stampede that claimed 41 lives during Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay’s campaign rally on September 27.

The team met families of victims and injured persons before addressing the media.

Hema Malini, visibly moved by what she witnessed, said the calamity could have been prevented had the authorities provided a larger venue for Vijay’s event.

“For a star of his stature, giving just a small road for such a huge crowd was unfair. Many women and young girls had come to see Vijay. If a bigger space had been allotted, this tragedy would not have happened,” she said.

The actor-politician stressed that the team had gathered first-hand accounts from the site and the survivors.

“We met those affected and heard their pain. In Tamil Nadu’s political history, such a large-scale accident is unprecedented.

TVK had asked for a slightly bigger space, but the government should have granted it,” she noted.

Anurag Thakur, former Union minister and NDA fact-finding team member, echoed her sentiments and demanded accountability from the Tamil Nadu government and police.

“When we went to the site, we could not control our emotions. A venue that cannot hold 300 people was made to host thousands. The government must explain the police’s role and what went wrong,” he said, adding that the NDA fact-finding team of MPs would submit a detailed report to BJP national president J.P. Nadda within a week.

Thakur also suggested that a sitting Supreme Court judge should conduct an independent probe.

The September 27 rally in Karur’s Velusamypuram, part of Vijay’s fast-growing political movement, turned deadly when massive crowds surged forward amid chaos reportedly triggered by inadequate space and power disruption.

Most of the victims were women and children, crushed in the commotion. The tragedy has sparked a political storm in Tamil Nadu, with the ruling DMK defending its response and opposition parties accusing the government of negligence.

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has announced a judicial inquiry led by retired Justice Aruna Jagadeesan and promised safety guidelines for future political events.

–IANS