Karur stampede: VCK slams TN govt for not filing case against Vijay

Chennai, Oct 2 (IANS) VCK president and MP Thol Thirumavalavan on Thursday questioned the Tamil Nadu government and the police for "selective action" in the Karur tragedy, in which 41 people died in a stampede during actor-politician Vijay's public rally.

Speaking to reporters, Thirumavalavan said the police's approach was "shocking and biased".

He pointed out that while TVK state general secretary Bussi Anand was booked over the incident, no case was filed against Vijay himself or other key organisers.

"In the Karur stampede that killed 41 people, why have the police registered an FIR only against Anand and not against Vijay, Arun Raj, or election campaign general secretary Aadhav Arjunan?" he asked.

"If there was a reason to book Anand, doesn't the same apply to Vijay and other core organisers who planned and managed the event?" said Thirumavalavan.

"Is the government afraid of taking action against the powerful? Are we now in a system where the strong go untouched while the weak alone are targeted?" he said.

Recalling his own experience, the VCK leader cited an incident nearly two decades ago when he was booked by police despite having no connection to a violent episode near Nainarpalayam in Villupuram district.

"I was not even aware of the event when it happened, yet cases were filed against me by the then Villupuram SP Ravi. This shows how quickly the police act against some while showing reluctance elsewhere," he said.

He added that responsibility in such tragedies does not end with lower-level organisers but extends to those who conceived and led the campaign.

"Those who delayed, those who created conditions for the crowd crush, and those who took decisions affecting safety must be held accountable. Why is the same yardstick not applied here?" Thirumavalavan demanded the state clarify whether political calculations were stopping fair investigation and called for equal treatment before the law.

"When lives have been lost, justice must not depend on power or popularity,” he said. The Karur stampede on September 27 occurred during Vijay's "meet the people" event, leaving 41 dead and more than 60 injured.

An inquiry panel led by retired judge Aruna Jagadeesan is probing the tragedy.

--IANS

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