Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader Thalapathy Vijay has accused the police and the then administration of responsibility for last year’s fatal stampede at his election rally in Karur, Tamil Nadu. Speaking at an event in Karur on Friday, July 10, 2026, Vijay said law enforcement failed to manage the situation and later tried to shift the blame onto him.

The September 2025 rally saw a massive crowd surge that led to at least 41 deaths, sparking widespread discussion across the state. Vijay described the tragedy as one of the most painful experiences of his life, saying he had trusted the police to ensure safety. He questioned why authorities did not cancel or stop the event if they saw the situation getting out of control and noted that police had facilitated his arrival on stage.

Vijay also alleged that political opponents mocked his absence following the tragedy and hinted that the incident might have been influenced by politically motivated conspiracies. The case was initially investigated by a Tamil Nadu police special team before being transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation under Supreme Court orders.