At least 38 people were killed and more than 50 injured yesterday in a stampede at a rally held by Tamil actor Vijay, who is campaigning for election, the chief minister of India’s southern sate said.
MK Stalin said eight children and 16 women were among the 38 that died in the district of Karur during a political rally by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, Vijay’s party.
Earlier, state legislator Senthil Balaji told reporters that 58 people were admitted to hospital.
Vijay, one of Tamil cinema’s most bankable actors for three decades, has drawn massive crowds to his public meetings since launching his political party in 2024, which has targeted both the state ruling party DMK and the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party.
He is campaigning ahead of state elections that are to be held in early 2026.
Videos from local media show thousands of people surrounding a large campaign vehicle on top of which Vijay is seen standing and speaking.
During the rally, visuals showed Vijay throwing water bottles from the top of the vehicle to fainting supporters and calling for police help when the crowd became uncontrollable.
“The unfortunate incident during a political rally in Karur, Tamil Nadu, is deeply saddening,” Prime Minister Modi said in a post on X.
At least 44 doctors from the nearby districts of Tiruchirappalli and Salem were sent to Karur, media reports said.
This is not the first time Vijay’s rallies have faced safety concerns. At least six deaths were reported by media following the first meeting of his political party when it was launched in October last year.
Despite police-imposed restrictions, including limits on convoy size and venue changes, the sheer scale of public turnout has repeatedly overwhelmed local infrastructure.
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