On September 27, a tragic stampede at political rally in Velusamypuram, Tamil Nadu, claimed 41 lives and left around 60 people injuried, according to official records. The First Information Report (FIR) lodged in the case point to actor politician Vijay’s late arrival as key factor that triggered “overcrowding and restlessness” among the crowd. The FIR states that Vijay, who is chief of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), remained inside his campaign vehicle longer than expected, which delayed his public appearance and disturb crowd flow.

As people surged forward to get better view, the compact rally venue became unsafe. Many attendees tried to climb on steel sheds and even trees, structures that finally collapsed and fall upon those below, making the stampede worse. The FIR emphasizes that this sudden movement of crowd, in confined space, was main cause of the disaster.

Interestingly, no case has been registered against Vijay himself. Rather, three TVK officials have been named in the FIR: the district secretary for Karur North (Mathiazhagan), the party’s state general secretary (Bussy Anand), and deputy general secretary (Nirmal Kumar). They faces charges including culpable homicide not amounting to murder, attempt to commit culpable homicide, endangering others lives, disobedience to order, and violations of public property laws.

To probe the calamity, Tamil Nadu government has announced a one-member commission of inquiry, led by former judge Arunachalam Jagadeesan. Meanwhile, authorities have instructed Vijay to avoid visiting government facilities related to the victims, citing sensitive law-and-order situation.

The FIR’s narrative shows how delays and inadequate crowd management in high-tension political events can have catastrophic consequences. The case raises urgent questions about event planning, safety protocols, and accountability in mass mobilization scenario.

As investigations proceed, public attention is likely to focus on how much responsibility party leadership and organizers bear and whether systemic failures in crowd control, communication, and security contributes to this tragedy.