Chennai: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has summoned 306 individuals for questioning in connection with the Karur stampede on September 27, which occurred during an event attended by TVK leader and actor Vijay.

The tragedy, which unfolded in Veluchamipuram, claimed 41 lives and left over 60 others injured, prompting widespread public outrage and political scrutiny across Tamil Nadu.

A CBI team led by officer Praveen Kumar, operating from a temporary camp in Karur, has intensified the probe under the overall supervision of retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ajay Rastogi and ADGPs Sonal Mishra and Sumit Saran.

Investigators have conducted extensive site inspections and witness interactions to reconstruct the sequence of events leading up to the disaster. Officials said the team also assessed the crowd capacity of the venue to determine whether organisers had adhered to safety regulations, and questioned local traders near the site for eyewitness accounts.

“The investigation focuses on lapses in crowd control, event planning, and the role of officials who granted permission for the gathering,” a source said.

According to CBI sources, Karur City Police Inspector Manivannan, who granted permission for the event, was questioned for more than two hours about safety arrangements, coordination with organisers, and communication with senior officials.

The agency has now summoned 306 individuals, including families of the victims and injured, as well as members of TVK’s Thamizhaga Rashtriya Peravai (TRP), which was responsible for mobilising participants.

Officials said the testimonies would help determine accountability and possible negligence by both organisers and law enforcement authorities.

Meanwhile, the CBI plans to carry out further inquiries at the TVK headquarters in Panaiyur, Chennai, to examine the chain of command and verify instructions issued before the ill-fated event.

The Karur stampede remains one of the deadliest crowd disasters in Tamil Nadu’s recent history, raising serious concerns over public safety measures, event management, and political accountability at mass gatherings.

IANS