Karur (Tamil Nadu): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay arrived in Karur on Friday to hand over government job appointment orders to members of 32 families affected by the stampede at a TVK rally last year that claimed 41 lives.

The visit marks Vijay's first official trip to Karur since assuming office as Chief Minister in May.

The Chief Minister is scheduled to meet the bereaved families and hand over appointment orders at a government function at the Atlas Auditorium. He will also interact with party workers during a Makkal Santhippu (Meet the People) programme at a private college ground on the Karur-Salem Highway.

Security breach towards CM’s convoy 

A brief security breach occurred during Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president C. Joseph Vijay's visit to Karur on Friday after a man breached barricades and ran towards the Chief Minister's convoy.

The incident took place as Vijay's convoy entered the town for a series of government and party programmes.

Security personnel reacted immediately, intercepting the man before he could reach the Chief Minister's vehicle. He was swiftly removed from the route, and the convoy continued to its destination without any disruption.

Thousands of supporters had lined the roads to welcome Vijay, showering flower petals on his convoy and raising slogans in his support.

It was reported that the Chief Minister was dressed entirely in black as a mark of respect for the victims of the stampede.

Police had put in place elaborate security arrangements, including barricades and heavy deployment of personnel, to regulate the large crowds gathered along the Chief Minister's route.

State Minister for Rural Development and Water Resources and TVK General Secretary N. Anand said only 5,000 people with QR code entry passes would be permitted to attend the public event and urged attendees to follow police guidelines. Tight security arrangements have been put in place for the Chief Minister's visit.

Speaking before the visit, Public Works and Sports Development Minister Aadhav Arjuna said the government had finalised the list of those injured in the stampede after verification.

Besides the relief programme, Vijay will lay the foundation stone for a ₹1,700-crore manufacturing facility of Evervan Kothari Footwear Private Limited at Manavasi. The project is expected to generate more than 13,500 jobs in the region.

The Chief Minister travelled to Karur by road from Tiruchirappalli airport.

Ahead of the visit, Karur Congress MP Jothimani defended the government's decision to provide employment to the affected families, saying no compensation could erase their loss.

"The pain of the 41 affected families who lost their loved ones in the tragic incident is indescribable," she wrote on X.

"We all know that a job appointment alone cannot bring back the lives they lost. But we must also understand the struggle that those families are facing today. Many of those who died were the only source of income for their families. They were simple, marginalised people," she added.

The Chief Minister's visit has drawn criticism from opposition parties, which have described it as politically motivated and argued that it could influence the ongoing CBI probe into the Karur stampede case.

(PTI)