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Chennai, Oct 8 (IANS) Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) chief and actor Vijay has formally sought police clearance to visit Karur to meet the families of those who lost their lives in the tragic stampede during his first major political road show on September 27.
That day, a huge crowd of about 30,000 had gathered at Veluchamipuram in Karur to watch Vijay’s rally.
The venue, designed for a fraction of that number, turned chaotic after long delays and an unexpected surge as Vijay boarded his campaign vehicle to greet supporters.
41 people died and more than 60 were injured in the stampede, causing grief across Tamil Nadu and outrage across the country.
Since the incident, Chief Minister MK Stalin and Opposition leader Edappadi K. Several political leaders, including Palaniswami, visited Karur to console the bereaved families.
The Tamil Nadu government announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased, while TVK said it would provide Rs 20 lakh per family.
Despite this, criticism over Vijay’s absence from the site grew and even the Madras High Court raised questions over his non-appearance.
In response, Vijay recently released a video message expressing his deep grief and promised to personally visit Karur to express his condolences.
According to TVK publicity general secretary Arunraj, Vijay has already spoken to the families of 33 victims through personal video calls.
“We have written an email to the Director General of Police (DGP) seeking permission for Vijay to visit Karur and meet the affected families. Today, our administrators also visited the DGP’s office in Chennai to submit a formal request,” Arunraj said at a press briefing.
The request has urged the police to provide adequate security arrangements for Vijay’s visit in view of the sensitive environment and the possibility of a large crowd during his visit.
The move comes as TVK faces growing public demand from Vijay to fulfill its assurance and personally stand with the grieving families.
Authorities have not yet announced when permission will be granted, but TVK leaders have indicated that the yatra will take place as soon as police clearance and security arrangements are finalized.
–IANS
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