Puducherry: A gun-toting man was stopped by police in Puducherry at the venue of the first public meeting of Tamil Nadu Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) on Tuesday, India Today reported. The man was later identified to be a guard for a district secretary of the party.

The event is to be TVK’s first public gathering since the Karur stampede in September, which claimed 41 lives.

Supporters were seen jumping the barricades as they arrived at the Uppalam Expo Ground in Puducherry.

Authorities had issued stringent regulations to ensure crowd control and public safety.Though attendance has been capped at 5,000, early reports indicate the turnout might exceed that limit.

The Puducherry Police, led by Senior Superintendent of Police (Law & Order) R. Kalaivanan, granted permission for the event at the Expo Ground under strict conditions, with attendance strictly capped at 5,000 people from the Union Territory.

The meeting, scheduled for Tuesday between 10.30 am and 12.30 pm, will feature TVK president and actor Vijay is expected to address supporters around noon from a specially arranged campaign vehicle.

Only individuals carrying QR-coded entry passes issued by the party are to be allowed inside. The police advisory issued earlier stated that persons without valid passes, as well as children, pregnant women, senior citizens, and those with health issues, would not be permitted.

The event is exclusively for Puducherry residents, and people from neighbouring districts of Tamil Nadu have been asked to refrain from travelling to the venue.