Overview

• At least 41 people died and more than 100 were injured after a crowd crush at TVK chief Vijay’s rally in Karur on 27 September, with overcrowding at the venue reported by sources.
• The Madurai Bench is hearing anticipatory-bail petitions from TVK leaders Bussy N Anand and CTR Nirmal Kumar, while local functionaries V. P. Mathialagan and Kasi Pounraj have been arrested.
• The Tamil Nadu government has appointed a one-member judicial commission headed by retired Justice Aruna Jagadeesan to probe the incident.
• TVK paused rallies for two weeks and announced Rs 20 lakh for each bereaved family, as PM Narendra Modi announced Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia and Congress said it contributed Rs 1.25 crore in total.
• Political fallout widened as the BJP formed a Hema Malini-led fact-finding team challenged by Congress’ state chief, DMK’s Murasoli attacked Vijay’s response, VCK’s Thol Thirumavalavan questioned why he was not booked, and BJP MP Anurag Thakur sought a detailed report from CM M. K. Stalin.