Karur stampede: Death toll reaches 41; Vijay’s close aide booked

The death toll in the Karur stampede has climbed to 41, a health official confirmed on Sunday. The tragedy unfolded during a rally that drew far more attendees than expected, sparking panic and chaos.

Two senior leaders of actor-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), including his close aide N Anand, have been booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder after the Karur rally stampede that killed 41 people and injured nearly 100.

The toll rose after a man succumbed to injuries at the government hospital, a health official said on Sunday.

As the toll mounted, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhaga party led by actor-politician Vijay moved the Madras High Court Bench in Madurai seeking an independent probe into the Karur stampede.

Stopping short of alleging a conspiracy into the incident, TVK deputy general secretary Nirmal Kumar told reporters that the party had approached the high court bench with a plea for an impartial inquiry into the incident.

"The judge agreed to hear the case tomorrow at 2.15 pm. We will make official our statement thereafter," he said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF to be given to the kin of each deceased in the unfortunate incident. The injured would be given Rs 50,00, he said in a post on the social media platform 'X'.