Conspiracy Theories, Blame Games: Who Is Accountable For Karur Stampede That Claimed 41 Lives?

The tragic stampede during Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay’s rally in Karur on September 27, which claimed 41 lives, has triggered a fierce political and legal battle in Tamil Nadu. As grieving families demand justice, the incident has spiraled into a storm of conspiracy theories, blame games, and questions over who should be held accountable for what the Madras High Court has already termed a “man-made tragedy.”

Vijay’s Message: Does Thalapathy Take Responsibility?

In his first public response on September 30, Vijay released a 4-minute 45-second video message, calling the tragedy the “most painful” moment of his life. He expressed sorrow and condolences, but firmly denied negligence on the part of himself or his organisers.

Vijay insisted that he had chosen a safe venue and sought police cooperation for crowd management, adding:
“We did not do anything wrong… If the CM has an intention to take revenge, do anything to me. Do not touch my party workers.”

By shifting the focus towards an alleged political conspiracy, Vijay questioned why the tragedy happened in Karur, despite similar rallies in other districts. He also challenged the DMK government to arrest him directly, a statement that DMK leaders branded as “arrogance” and a diversion from accountability.

DMK’s mouthpiece Murasoli accused Vijay of prioritising political drama over responsibility, alleging that even his solatium announcement of ₹20 lakh per victim’s family was a competitive move against Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s ₹10 lakh relief. The party further attacked Vijay’s “cinematic antics,” claiming he failed to directly console families of victims in Karur.

BJP’s Delegation

The tragedy soon acquired national political overtones. The BJP-led NDA dispatched a delegation to Karur, a move CM Stalin dismissed as an opportunistic ploy ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls.

Stalin questioned why the BJP did not send similar delegations for the Manipur ethnic violence, the Morbi bridge collapse in Gujarat, or the Kumbh Mela stampede, but rushed to Karur. He alleged that the BJP was seeking to exploit the tragedy to expand its foothold in Tamil Nadu, calling it a “cheap act for political mileage.”

This sparked speculation that the BJP may attempt to align with Vijay’s TVK in the run-up to the 2026 polls, using the tragedy as a political wedge.

Madras High Court Decision

Amid political accusations, the Madras High Court took a stern view of the incident. Justice Senthilkumar slammed Vijay and his party for “abandoning” the crowd and showing “no remorse” after the deaths.

The court ordered the seizure of TVK’s campaign bus, citing video evidence of its involvement in an accident, and directed police to secure CCTV footage from the rally. It also set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by IGP Asra Garg to probe the incident, after expressing dissatisfaction with the local police’s handling.

Significantly, the court asked why no case had been filed against Vijay himself, while two close aides – N. “Bussy” Anand and C.T. Nirmal Kumar – were charged with culpable homicide. Their anticipatory bail pleas were dismissed, with the court insisting the probe was still in its early stages.

Accountability or Political Drama?

As political parties trade accusations DMK attacking Vijay’s “arrogance,” BJP accused of exploiting the tragedy, and Vijay himself hinting at conspiracies – the families of 41 victims remain caught in the crossfire.

The central question persists: was the stampede the result of poor crowd control by organisers, lapses by the state administration, or an inevitable accident? While the SIT begins its investigation, the debate over accountability has already turned into a political battlefield that is reshaping the run-up to the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

ALSO READ: Rahul Gandhi Calls Vijay: Will Karur Stampede Spark Political Aftershocks For DMK-Congress Ties?