Police in southern India have charged three senior aides of popular actor-turned-politician Vijay with culpable homicide and negligence after a deadly stampede at his rally in Tamil Nadu killed at least 40 people, including nine children.
The tragedy occurred on Saturday evening when around 27,000 people thronged a public road in Karur district to see Vijay, who is known by his single name. Panic erupted as the massive crowd surged, triggering a fatal crush. Authorities said they had expected about 10,000 attendees, but nearly three times that number turned up.
Senior police officer S. Davidson Devasirvatham said cases have been registered against Bussy Anand, G.R. Nirmal Kumar, and V.P. Mathiyazhagan, three key members of Vijay’s political party. They face charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and negligent conduct endangering human life. “The investigation will reveal all who are involved,” Devasirvatham told reporters.
Witnesses cited poor crowd management, inadequate police presence, and hours of delay as factors behind the tragedy. Vijay was scheduled to arrive by noon, but appeared around 7:40 p.m., leaving thousands waiting under the scorching sun without sufficient food or water. Panic reportedly spread after supporters who had climbed a tree fell onto the tightly packed crowd below.
Videos circulating on social media show Vijay tossing water bottles to his supporters shortly before the stampede began, forcing him to halt his speech.
“I am at a loss for words to express the pain my heart endures,” the 51-year-old actor said in a statement on Sunday. Calling the deaths an “irreparable loss,” Vijay pledged to provide two million rupees (about USD 22,000) in compensation to each victim’s family.
Karur district official M. Thangavel confirmed the death toll had risen to 40, while dozens more were injured. Survivors described scenes of chaos as people were pushed and crushed with no space to move.
The incident highlights ongoing concerns about crowd safety in India, where mass gatherings often suffer from lax security and planning. Earlier this year, 30 people were killed in a crush at a religious fair in Uttar Pradesh, and 121 died in a similar tragedy during a Hindu prayer meeting in the same state last year.
Vijay, one of Tamil cinema’s biggest stars, launched his political party in 2024 and has been drawing huge crowds ahead of next year’s state elections.
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