At around 7:45 PM local time on September 27, 2025, a serious stampede occurred in the Karur district of Tamil Nadu in southern India at a political rally of the Tamil Vijay Alliance (TVK), a political party founded by the famous actor Vijay. The rally was to build momentum for the local elections in early 2026, and Vijay was scheduled to give a speech.
The main cause of the accident was severe overcrowding: the party had indicated in its application that it expected 10,000 people to attend, but the actual crowd exceeded 27,000, far exceeding the venue’s capacity. Furthermore, Vijay’s arrival was delayed by seven hours, and the crowd, having waited for so long, became agitated. Upon his arrival, a large number of his supporters rushed forward, some tripping over barricades and triggering a stampede.
As of September 28, the accident had killed at least 39 people and injured over 40, including 10 children and 16 women. Vijay stopped his speech and threw a water bottle to help, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued a message of condolences.
The police had previously issued 23 safety requirements and suggested that the elderly and the weak participate online, but most supporters did not comply. Vijay’s previous rallies have paralyzed traffic, and this tragedy highlights the security loopholes in large-scale political events.
