The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has issued a notice summoning Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief and actor-politician Vijay for questioning in connection with the deadly stampede in Karur, Tamil Nadu, that followed his rally on 27 September 2025, leaving at least 41 people dead and over 60 injured.

The summons is part of a Supreme Court-mandated probe, ordered in October last year, after concerns were raised about crowd management failures and the adequacy of the initial investigation.

The apex court had also constituted a three-member monitoring committee, headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Ajay Rastogi, to ensure a fair, impartial, and transparent inquiry.

While the CBI has clarified that notices are being issued to all key stakeholders to reconstruct events objectively, TVK leaders have said the party will cooperate fully with the investigation. The tragedy has sparked intense political debate, judicial scrutiny, and renewed calls for stricter safety norms at large public gatherings.

CBI Steps In As Focus Turns To Accountability

The CBI’s notice to Vijay marks a significant development in the investigation into one of Tamil Nadu’s deadliest crowd disasters in recent years. According to officials quoted by PTI, the agency is seeking information related to the planning, permissions, crowd control measures, and overall management of the rally held at Velusamypuram in Karur district, which saw an overwhelming turnout.

On the morning of September 27, thousands of supporters including men, women, elderly persons, and children began arriving hours in advance to catch a glimpse of Vijay, who had recently launched his political party and was making one of his earliest mass public appearances.

As the crowd swelled far beyond anticipated numbers, narrow approach roads, insufficient barricading, and poor crowd segregation reportedly created a deadly bottleneck. Panic ensued, triggering a stampede that left dozens crushed underfoot.

A senior CBI official stated that the investigation is not limited to any one individual and that “all persons connected with the organisation and regulation of the event will be examined to establish the sequence of events and responsibility.” The agency has already collected CCTV footage, drone visuals, and mobile videos, and has recorded statements from local officials, police personnel, and event organisers.

TVK functionaries, responding to the development, reiterated that Vijay would “extend full cooperation” to the probe. While the actor-politician has not yet issued a personal statement on the summons, party leaders have maintained that the tragedy was an “unfortunate accident” and that the truth should emerge through a fair investigation.

Supreme Court Oversight And Questions Over Lapses

The CBI probe was ordered by the Supreme Court in October 2025, following petitions that questioned the effectiveness and impartiality of the state-led investigation.

A bench comprising Justices J.K. Maheshwari and N.V. Anjaria observed that the scale of the tragedy and the loss of lives warranted an independent agency’s involvement.

To further strengthen oversight, the court constituted a three-member committee, headed by Justice Ajay Rastogi (retired), to monitor the probe and ensure that it remained free from political or institutional influence.

The court had also flagged the broader issue of safety at large political and religious gatherings, noting that such events require meticulous planning, coordination between organisers and authorities, and strict adherence to standard operating procedures.

It emphasised that accountability must extend across the chain from event organisers and political leaders to district administrations and police officials responsible for permissions and on-ground arrangements.

The transfer of the probe to the CBI was not without controversy. The Tamil Nadu government had opposed the move, arguing that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the state police was already probing the matter.

The DMK-led government maintained that law and order is a state subject and that there was no justification for central intervention. In contrast, opposition parties, including the BJP, welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision, calling it necessary to ensure justice for the victims’ families.

Since assuming charge, the CBI has expanded the scope of the investigation, examining whether crowd size estimates were ignored, whether emergency response mechanisms were adequate, and whether warnings from local officials, if any, were overlooked in the run-up to the rally.

Human Cost, Political Fallout, Reform Calls

Beyond the legal and political contestations lies the human cost of the tragedy. Families of the victims many of whom had travelled from nearby villages continue to mourn loved ones who left home that day expecting a festive political gathering and never returned.

Several survivors have spoken of confusion, lack of clear exit routes, and the absence of timely medical assistance in the crucial minutes after the stampede.

Public outrage following the incident led to demands for compensation, stricter regulation of mass events, and accountability at the highest levels. While the state government announced ex-gratia compensation for the families of the deceased and medical aid for the injured, critics argue that monetary relief cannot substitute for systemic reform.

In subsequent hearings related to the incident, courts have directed the Tamil Nadu government to frame clear standard operating procedures (SOPs) for crowd management at large public gatherings, including caps on attendance, mandatory risk assessments, emergency evacuation plans, and coordination protocols between organisers and law enforcement agencies.

Civil society groups have also called for greater transparency in the granting of permissions and for political parties to be held to the same, if not higher, safety standards as other event organisers.

The Logical Indian’s Perspective

The Karur stampede is not merely a story of administrative lapses or political blame-shifting; it is a painful reminder of how quickly celebration and hope can turn into irreversible loss when human safety is treated as secondary. While investigations and court-monitored probes are essential to establish accountability, they must also lead to meaningful reform, not just individual culpability.

Political leaders, regardless of party affiliation, command immense public influence, and with that comes a heightened responsibility to ensure that every public interaction is planned with empathy, foresight, and respect for life. Equally, authorities must act as neutral enablers of safety, not passive approvers of spectacle.