Published 7 months ago • loading... • Updated 7 months ago
More Than 30 Dead, Over 50 Injured in Stampede at Indian Actor-Politician Vijay’s Rally, Officials Say
A stampede killed 39 people during a political rally in Karur district, Tamil Nadu, on Saturday, as crowds surged suddenly.
The stampede followed hours of waiting by approximately 27,000 attendees, exceeding the expected 10,000, with insufficient food, water, and safety measures.
Supporters climbed a tree branch that broke, causing people to fall onto the crowd and trigger panic, forcing Vijay to halt his speech.
Survivors described no space to move and cited poor planning, lack of police personnel, and long waits under hot sun as preventable causes.
State Chief Minister M.K. Stalin updated the death toll from 36 to 39 and declared that a judicial inquiry would be conducted, while actor Vijay expressed deep sorrow over the tragic incident.
Indian police charged three close associates of a popular politician and former actor with manslaughter and negligence on Saturday, local authorities said, after at least 40 people were killed in a stampede at his party rally in southern India.