Hema Malini To Lead BJP Probe Into Stampede; Police Hunt Absconding TVK Leaders

CHENNAI -In the wake of the tragic stampede at actor-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) rally in Tamil Nadu’s Karur, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has stepped into the fray, while police have intensified their hunt for top TVK functionaries.

The deadly crush on September 27 at Velayuthampalayam in Karur claimed 41 lives and left more than 60 people injured. Witnesses reported panic after a sudden power disruption and severe overcrowding near the stage.

Amid political and public outrage, BJP President J.P. Nadda, on September 29, 2025, constituted an eight-member fact-finding committee led by party MP and veteran actress Hema Malini. The delegation, is expected to visit the stampede site, meet affected families.

Simultaneously, police in Karur have escalated action against senior TVK functionaries. Police investigations revealed that vehicles were parked near the rally site in a way that blocked movement, while large numbers of people gathered in the same area, creating dangerous overcrowding.

Summons were issued to the three leaders for inquiry, but police confirmed they have not responded and are currently absconding, prompting the deployment of the special force. Multiple criminal sections relating to negligence leading to loss of life have been invoked in the First Information Report.

With multiple inquiries underway—the state’s judicial probe, Vijay’s legal petition, the BJP’s independent review, and now the police hunt for absconding leaders—the Karur stampede has escalated into a politically sensitive issue ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly polls. (IANS)