New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the Karur stampede that occurred during a rally by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief and actor Vijay on September 27, which claimed the lives of 41 people and left many others injured.

A bench comprising Justices J.K. Maheshwari and N.V. Anjaria directed that a three-member committee be formed to oversee the investigation. The panel will be headed by former Supreme Court judge, Justice Ajay Rastogi, to ensure that the probe remains fair, transparent, and impartial.

The stampede, one of the worst crowd-control failures in Tamil Nadu in recent years, has raised nationwide concerns about public safety at political gatherings.

Previously, the Madras High Court had formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by IPS officer Asra Garg to investigate the incident, rejecting a plea for a CBI probe.