39 killed in Karur rally stampede, Vijay’s aides booked for culpable homicide

Mangalore Today News Network

Chennai, Sep 28, 2025: Two senior leaders of actor-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), including his close aide N. Anand, have been booked on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder after a stampede at a party rally in Karur on Saturday left 39 people dead and nearly 100 injured.

Anand, TVK’s general secretary and a former MLA from Puducherry—popularly known as Bussy Anand—is regarded as the party’s second-in-command. Along with him, TVK joint general secretary C.T. Nirmal Kumar, Karur West district secretary Mathiyazhagan, and three others have been named in the FIR.

The accused face charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita provisions relating to culpable homicide, negligent conduct endangering life, and disobedience to lawful orders. They have also been booked under the Tamil Nadu Public Property (Prevention of Damage and Loss) Act.

The DMK-led Tamil Nadu government has blamed Vijay’s party for flouting safety guidelines. Officials alleged that inadequate arrangements for drinking water and food led to chaos in the crowd, with several people fainting before the stampede.