Vijay appears before CBI in Delhi for Karur stampede probe; reaches office ahead of time
TVK president and actor Vijay departs from Chennai airport for Delhi to appear before the CBI in connection with the Karur stampede probe.
Chennai/New Delhi: Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) president and actor Vijay appeared before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Delhi on Monday for questioning in connection with the September 2025 Karur stampede that claimed 41 lives. He reached the CBI headquarters before the scheduled 11:30 AM, after flying from Chennai on a private jet amid fog-related delays.
Journey Timeline
Vijay left his Panaiyur residence at 6:30 AM and took off from Chennai airport around 7:20 AM, arriving in Delhi between 9:30–10 AM. After a brief stop at a hotel, he proceeded to the CBI office ahead of time.
Background of the Tragedy
The stampede occurred on September 27, 2025, during a TVK campaign rally in Veluchamipuram, Karur. Investigations have highlighted serious lapses in crowd management and scheduling discrepancies. While permission was granted for an event between 3 PM and 10 PM at Bali Malai, TVK functionaries had promoted Vijay’s arrival for 12 PM, leading to early crowd buildup.
Controversy Over Delayed Arrival
Criticism has mounted over Vijay’s delayed appearance at the rally. He had a prior campaign in Namakkal scheduled for 8 AM but departed Chennai only at that time, reaching Namakkal late. After that event, the travel to Karur—normally a 45-minute journey—stretched for hours, with Vijay arriving only by 7 PM. The exhausted crowd, which had waited since noon, surged forward upon his arrival, triggering the deadly crush.
Public and Political Scrutiny
Questions have been raised about why Vijay maintained punctuality for the CBI probe but not for the rally where lives were at stake. The CBI is examining issues of organizational negligence, violation of permission conditions, and lapses in crowd control measures by TVK and local authorities.
The inquiry marks a critical phase in the high-profile case, which has drawn political and public attention for months. Vijay’s deposition is expected to shed light on the planning and communication failures that led to one of Tamil Nadu’s worst political rally tragedies.