TVK chief and actor Vijay has told the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that neither his party nor its functionaries were responsible for the Karur stampede that killed 41 people, sources said on Monday.
Vijay was questioned for over six hours and told investigators that he left the venue fearing his presence could worsen the situation. Sources said Vijay’s statement is consistent with the versions given earlier by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) office bearers who have already been examined by the agency. The CBI will now assess these statements alongside those of police officials, who have previously claimed that delays by the actor contributed to the chaos.
Vijay appeared before the CBI in Delhi on Monday in connection with the September 27, 2025 incident, which also left more than 60 people injured. He arrived in the capital by a chartered flight around 10.30 am and proceeded to the heavily secured CBI headquarters to comply with the summons issued earlier this month.
After completing preliminary formalities, Vijay was questioned by officers from the CBI’s Anti-Corruption branch, which is handling the probe. He has not been asked to return on Tuesday but is expected to be summoned again after the Pongal festival, sources said.
TVK leaders Aadhav Arjuna and Nirmal Kumar accompanied Vijay to Delhi. Security around the CBI office was stepped up, with multiple units of the Delhi Police and Central Armed Police Forces deployed, though a small number of supporters gathered near the premises.
The CBI has already questioned several TVK office bearers and has also summoned former Tamil Nadu additional director general of police (law and order) S Davidson Devasirvatham as part of the investigation.
The agency took over the case from a Special Investigation Team following a Supreme Court order that cited concerns over political overtones and public statements by senior police officers. The court also set up a three-member supervisory committee headed by former judge Ajay Rastogi to monitor the investigation, emphasising the need for an impartial probe.
Karur Stampede
At least 41 people, including women and children, were killed and over 60 injured in a stampede during a TVK campaign rally addressed by Vijay in Karur, Tamil Nadu, on September 27, 2025. The incident occurred after severe overcrowding at the venue, forcing Vijay to stop his speech midway.
Police permission had been granted for a gathering of 10,000 people, but officials later estimated that around 50,000 attended the event at a venue measuring approximately 1.2 lakh square feet. Cases were subsequently registered against several TVK office bearers under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Tamil Nadu Public Property Damage Act.
Following the incident, Vijay expressed grief over the deaths and announced compensation of ₹20 lakh for the families of those killed and ₹2 lakh for the injured, assuring continued support to the affected families.
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