Calling it an incident that “shook the conscience of the nation,” the Supreme Court on Monday ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the Karur stampede that killed 41 people during actor-turned-politician Vijay’s rally in Tamil Nadu last month.
A bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and NV Anjaria directed the CBI to take over the investigation immediately and appointed a three-member committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Ajay Rastogi to monitor the probe.
The committee will also include two IPS officers—from the Tamil Nadu cadre but not native to the state—to ensure impartial oversight.
🧾 SC Questions Madras High Court Order
The apex court sharply criticized the Madras High Court’s Chennai bench for taking up the matter without the Chief Justice’s approval, despite the Madurai bench already handling the case.
“There was no occasion for the single judge at the Madras High Court bench of Chennai to entertain a petition without the permission of the Chief Justice,” the bench observed.
“Taking suo motu cognisance while ignoring the Madurai bench’s ongoing proceedings indicates a lack of sensitivity and propriety,” it added, noting that such action created “multiplicity of proceedings for reasons best known to the judge.”
The Supreme Court also noted that the Madurai bench had earlier rejected a plea for a CBI probe, while the Chennai bench ordered a Special Investigation Team (SIT) without hearing Vijay’s party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) — even though the plea before it was only seeking guidelines for public events.
🕯️ 41 Dead, 60 Injured in Karur Tragedy
The stampede on September 27 claimed 41 lives and injured more than 60 people, after a massive crowd of nearly 30,000 people thronged a venue with a capacity of only 10,000.
According to officials, security protocols were violated and basic arrangements like food and water were missing, creating panic and unrest among the waiting crowd.
Actor-politician Vijay, who was scheduled to arrive at noon, reportedly reached around 7 p.m., triggering a fresh crowd surge as his campaign bus entered the venue.
As thousands pushed forward to catch a glimpse of him, people fainted, climbed trees and rooftops, and police were forced to cut power lines to prevent electrocution.
When chaos escalated, police allegedly resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the crowd.
💰 Vijay Announces ₹20 Lakh Compensation Per Victim
Following the tragedy, Vijay announced ₹20 lakh compensation for each deceased victim’s family and ₹2 lakh for the injured.
He also suspended his state-wide campaign tour and later spoke via video call with victims’ families on October 7, promising to visit Karur soon.
The TVK Karur West District Secretary, Mathiyazhagan, was arrested for lapses in event management, while General Secretary Bussy Anand and Joint General Secretary Nirmal Sekar remain absconding.
📊 CBI Probe to Examine Negligence, Political Accountability
The CBI is expected to investigate organizational negligence, security clearance lapses, and possible violations of public safety norms during the rally.
The Rastogi committee will monitor progress and report directly to the Supreme Court.
Legal experts say the court’s decision underscores growing judicial concern over public safety lapses at political events, particularly when “avoidable tragedies” are linked to poor crowd management.
