Death toll in Vijay's rally stampede climbs to 41, compensation of Rs 20 lakh announced

The death toll from the devastating stampede at Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader Vijay’s campaign rally in Karur has risen to 41, with a 65-year-old woman, identified as Suguna, succumbing to her injuries while on ventilator support at a local hospital.

Among the deceased are 18 women, 13 men, five young girls, and five young boys. Officials confirmed that while 34 victims were residents of Karur, others hailed from nearby districts including Erode, Tiruppur, Dindigul, and Salem.

The tragedy unfolded on Saturday evening when an overwhelming crowd gathered at Vijay’s rally, spiraling into panic and chaos. Several people fainted on the spot and were rushed to hospitals, where medical teams struggled to save lives.

Actor-politician Vijay expressed deep grief over the incident, saying he was at a “loss for words.” He further announced financial aid of ₹20 lakh to the families of those who died and ₹2 lakh for the injured.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also extended condolences, declaring an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh each from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of the deceased and ₹50,000 for those injured.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin assured state-level relief, promising Rs10 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh for the injured.

Authorities are continuing relief efforts, while investigations into crowd management failures are underway.