A campaign rally by Tamil actor-turned-politician Vijay’s party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), turned deadly on Saturday evening after a massive crowd surge left at least 39 people dead and around 40 others injured. The incident occurred at Velusamypuram on the Karur–Erode Highway during the party’s ‘Velicham Veliyeru’ (“Let There Be Light”) campaign event.
According to Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma. Subramanian, the dead include at least 17 women, nine men and nine children.
Officials described the tragedy as a “stampede-like crush.” Thousands had gathered to hear Vijay speak when, at about 7:45 pm, large sections of the crowd reportedly pushed toward the stage barricades in an attempt to see the actor-turned-politician up close. Several people fainted in the suffocating rush, and children were separated from their families.
Live television footage showed Vijay halting his speech, distributing water bottles to fainting supporters and appealing to police and volunteers for assistance.
Authorities and emergency services rushed to the site to control the situation and take the injured to nearby hospitals.
