10 Months After 41 Died At His Karur Rally, Vijay Returns. This Time As Chief Minister | Timeline

Last Updated:July 10, 2026, 12:00 IST

The stampede took place at Velusamypuram in Karur on September 27, 2025, where a large crowd had gathered for a political rally addressed by Vijay.

Nearly ten months after a stampede at his political rally killed 41 people, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay arrived in Karur on Friday, July 10, for the first time since the tragedy.

Vijay will meet the families of those killed in the September 27, 2025, stampede and hand over government job appointment letters to their next of kin.

Vijay had earlier met several victims’ families at a resort near Chennai. However, Friday’s visit will be his first to Karur since the stampede. His absence from the district had drawn criticism from political rivals and remained a major issue during the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election campaign.

Let’s Take A Look At The Timeline Of The event:

September 27, 2025: 41 Killed In Stampede At Vijay’s Karur Rally

The stampede took place at Velusamypuram in Karur on September 27, 2025, where a large crowd had gathered for a political rally addressed by Vijay.

The tragedy killed 41 people and left several others injured. It sparked widespread outrage and raised questions about crowd management and security arrangements at political rallies.

Police registered a case against senior TVK leaders. The then-Tamil Nadu government announced compensation of Rs 10 lakh each for the families of those killed and appointed a commission to investigate the tragedy.

Vijay Expresses Grief, Announces Financial Aid

After the stampede, Vijay expressed grief over the deaths and said he was heartbroken by the loss of lives.

TVK announced financial assistance for the families of those killed and people injured in the tragedy.

However, Vijay did not visit Karur or meet the affected families in the district immediately after the stampede. His absence later became a major point of criticism.

October 27, 2025: Vijay Meets Victims’ Families Near Chennai

Exactly one month after the tragedy, Vijay met some of the victims’ families at a private resort in Mamallapuram near Chennai.

Around 30 families were reportedly brought from Karur by bus for the closed-door meeting.

While Vijay met several bereaved families, he still did not visit Karur, where the tragedy had taken place.

Months Pass, Vijay Stays Away From Karur

As months passed, Vijay’s absence from Karur became a political issue.

Even six months after the tragedy, he had not returned to the district. His political opponents questioned why he had not visited the site of the stampede or met the bereaved families in Karur.

Security concerns were cited as one reason for his absence. However, the issue continued to follow Vijay ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election.

Karur Stampede Becomes Major Election Issue

The stampede remained a major political issue during the 2026 Assembly election campaign.

While filing his nomination, Vijay referred to the Karur tragedy and alleged that there was a conspiracy behind the incident. His political opponents rejected the claim.

TVK fielded its Karur West district president V P Mathiazhagan from the Karur Assembly constituency. Mathiazhagan had earlier been briefly jailed in connection with the stampede case.

Vijay himself did not contest the election from Karur.

TVK Wins Election, Vijay Becomes Chief Minister

TVK emerged victorious in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election, paving the way for Vijay to become Chief Minister.

After coming to power, his government moved to provide government jobs on compassionate grounds to members of families who lost their loved ones in the Karur stampede.

During his July 10 visit, Vijay is expected to hand over appointment letters to the next of kin of those killed.

Supreme Court Rejects Plea To Stop Vijay’s Karur Visit

Days before Vijay’s scheduled visit, the DMK approached the Supreme Court seeking to prevent him from meeting the victims’ families.

The party expressed concern that statements by TVK leaders could influence witnesses in the ongoing investigation into the stampede.

The Supreme Court dismissed the plea and questioned how a court could regulate the movements or statements of a sitting Chief Minister.

July 10, 2026: Vijay Returns To Karur Nearly 10 Months After Stampede

Nearly ten months after the tragedy, Vijay returned to Karur on Friday, where he will meet the families of the 41 people who lost their lives and hand over government job appointment letters to their next of kin.

The visit comes amid an ongoing CBI investigation into the tragedy and follows months of criticism over Vijay’s absence from the district.

For the bereaved families, it will be their first meeting with Vijay in Karur since the September 27 rally ended in tragedy.

About the Author

Anushka Vats

Anushka Vats is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for storytelling and a curiosity that extends beyond the newsroom. She covers both national and international news. For more stories, you can ...Read More

News india 10 Months After 41 Died At His Karur Rally, Vijay Returns. This Time As Chief Minister | Timeline

Read More