HD Kumaraswamy condoles loss of lives in Karur stampede

NEW DELHI: Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy condoled the loss of lives in the rally addressed by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) President and actor Vijay in Karur, Tamil Nadu. A total of 39 people were killed in the tragedy.

The Union Minister also prayed for a speedy recovery of the injured.

Chennai | On the Karur stampede incident, DGP in-charge of Tamil Nadu, G. Venkatraman, says, “The permission for the meeting was given for 3 pm to 10 pm, but crowds started assembling as early as 11 am. By the time Vijay arrived at 7:40 pm., the crowd had already been waiting for… pic.twitter.com/4914mEDHdO

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“It was a shock to learn that many people were killed and many others were seriously injured in a tragedy that occurred during a political rally in Karur, Tamil Nadu. This is a very sad incident.

My heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased. May they find the strength to bear this loss of life and may God rest the departed soul. I pray for a speedy recovery for all those injured,” the post on X by Kumaraswamy read.

Meanwhile, BJP leader K Annamalai strongly criticised the Tamil Nadu government and police for their negligence.

Annamalai called the incident “deeply shocking” and “highly condemnable”.

In a post on X on Saturday, Annamalai wrote, “In Karur, the news that approximately forty people, including children, lost their lives due to a stampede at a gathering attended by Thaveka leader Mr Vijay is deeply shocking and distressing. Many others have been injured and admitted to hospitals. I urge the Tamil Nadu government to ensure proper treatment for all those affected. I express my deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. For a political party’s gathering, it is the responsibility of the police to accurately estimate the number of attendees, select an appropriate venue accordingly, and deploy an adequate number of police personnel to ensure the safety of the public attending the event.”

“There are also reports that electricity was disrupted during Mr. Vijay’s gathering. The Tamil Nadu government and the police acting with such negligence is highly condemnable,” he added.

He also alleged that the government failed to provide adequate security for an opposition event and demanded a full investigation into the incident and strict action if lapses in police arrangements or power supply are confirmed.

“The DMK government, which deploys the entire district police force to provide security for gatherings organized by DMK members, has made it a habit to fail in providing adequate security arrangements for events held by opposition parties. I strongly urge the DMK government to immediately provide appropriate compensation to the families of those who lost their lives, conduct a thorough investigation into whether this accident occurred due to inadequate security arrangements and the power disruption, and take strict action based on the findings,” the post read. (ANI)