40 people have died: Puducherry SP steps in as TVK leader seeks more crowd in rally

In the first public rally of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay since the deadly 2025 Karur crowd crush that killed 41 people, tension briefly flared at the start of the gathering when an IPS officer seized the microphone from party leader Bussy Anand, who was attempting to address the crowd.

As the event began and Bussy Anand stepped forward to speak, inviting people in with the announcement that “there is space, come inside,” IPS officer Isha Singh abruptly intervened and snatched the microphone from him, preventing his address.

She was heard saying, “40 people have died,” refusing to permit entry beyond the approved number.

The rally, held in Puducherry, was organised under strict police conditions in the aftermath of the Karur tragedy. Authorities had denied permission for any roadshow, capped crowd strength, and enforced QR-code-based entry to avoid overcrowding.

The rally, held at the Uppalam Expo Ground in Puducherry, was organised under strict restrictions imposed by the Puducherry Police. Attendance was capped at 5,000 people, entry was permitted only to those with QR-code passes.

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