Actor-turned-politician Vijay, also the President of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), is set to travel to New Delhi on Saturday evening to meet with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) regarding the tragic stampede during his campaign rally in Karur last year. The CBI has summoned Vijay to appear at their Delhi office on Sunday as part of the ongoing investigation into the incident. Sources mention that Vijay will depart from Chennai this evening and arrive in the national capital before the scheduled questioning.
The stampede occurred on September 27 during Vijay’s campaign rally in Karur, where a large crowd had gathered, leading to a chaotic situation resulting in the loss of 41 lives, including women and children. This incident raised concerns about crowd management and safety arrangements at political events with significant attendance. The CBI took over the case for a thorough investigation, examining aspects such as rally organization, crowd control measures, event permissions, and the responsibilities of organizers and local authorities.
Vijay had previously appeared before CBI officials in New Delhi on January 12 and January 19 for questioning regarding the rally’s planning, execution, and the circumstances that led to the stampede. Despite a summons for March 10, Vijay cited prior commitments and requested a later date for appearance, proposing to be questioned at the CBI office in Chennai instead of Delhi. However, the agency insisted on his presence at their Delhi headquarters, leading to a fresh summons for Vijay to appear on March 15.
Sources close to the TVK leadership stated that Vijay intends to fully cooperate with the investigation and will travel to Delhi to comply with the latest summons. The CBI’s investigation is expected to continue delving into the details surrounding the Karur stampede to ascertain accountability for the tragic incident.
