TVK Chief Vijay to Hold First Public Meet After Karur Tragedy, to Campaign in Puducherry With Same Vehicle Used in Stampede-hit Rally

New Delhi: TVK chief and actor-turned-politician Vijay is set to address a public meeting in Puducherry on December 9, marking his first major appearance since the Karur rally tragedy that claimed over 40 lives in a stampede. Vijay will use the same campaign vehicle that was deployed during the Karur event, a rally that turned disastrous and left 41 people dead.

For tomorrow’s event, the Puducherry administration has permitted only 5000 people at the venue. Entry will be strictly allowed only to those carrying the QR-coded passes issued for the meeting, and organisers have been instructed not to exceed the approved limit. Preparations are underway, and officials have installed at least 50 CCTV cameras across the ground to prevent any possibility of another accident.

The campaign vehicle itself had been kept as evidence following the Karur stampede, with the Madras High Court ordering its seizure. However, after the Supreme Court ordered a CBI probe and set aside the state-level enquiries, the vehicle was released. Vijay will once again campaign from this same political vehicle as he addresses supporters in Puducherry.

Karur Stampede

In this year alone, India witnessed a disturbing surge in fatal stampedes, claiming dozens of lives and leaving hundreds injured. From religious events such as the Maha Kumbh and Rath Yatra to victory celebrations and rallies, inadequate crowd control and mismanagement have transformed massive gatherings into scenes of chaos and tragedy for people.

One of them was karur stampede. On September 27, 2025, a massive public rally in Karur, Tamil Nadu, led by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief and actor-turned-politician Vijay, ended in disaster. The stampede had left 41 people dead, including three children, and more than 50 injured. Authorities cited crowd management failure and inadequate safety measures as key causes for the tragedy.

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