People ran towards Vijay’s vehicle leading to Karur rally stampede: Eyewitnesses recount tragedy

Chennai: “I also fainted but regained my consciousness sometime later. Three people who were bundled into the ambulance that rushed to the hospital unfortunately died. I can’t believe I am alive,” said Sunitha with a choked voice.

She is among the survivors of the deadly stampede at actor-politician Vijay’s rally in Karur in western Tamil Nadu. Thousands of people had gathered at the Light House roundtana in the textile town of Karur to take a glimpse at Vijay, who was delayed for the rally --- he addressed the Namakkal rally at around 3 pm instead of the scheduled 8.45 am.

One could only hear wails of women crying and hugging their relatives after losing their children and loved ones at the Karur government hospital with ambulances rushing into the premises every two minutes. Hospital staff had a tough time rushing the injured and unconscious people into the ICU and Emergency ward for treatment.

Sunitha, who was at the rally venue, said people waited for hours together to see Vijay and hear him speak. “People didn’t stand at one place, and they kept chasing the bus in which Vijay was travelling. That is when they started pushing the other. Many people missed their chappals and fell onto the ground. But luckily I didn’t go further into the crowd,” she said.

“I came to a place that was relatively less crowded, but I could hear people screaming and see them rushing towards the vehicle. Four people, including me, were in an ambulance. Only I survived. Everyone else is dead,” she added. Women were in larger numbers at the rally, while many of them had come with their kids among whom Vijay is popular.

Another eyewitness said as Vijay started speaking power supply was cut off – this has been a practice since some of his fans attempted to climb electric poles to take a glimpse of their favourite star – and the chaos only escalated.

“Police had to resort to lathi charge to bring the crowd under control. I am still unable to believe what happened at the rally,” the eyewitness said, adding that they could hear ambulance sounds constantly from within the venue. He added that Vijay probably cut short his speech sensing that something was amiss.

In fact, Vijay did arrange an ambulance for a few people who fell unconscious from atop the bus, but he continued to speak and even thanked the police for facilitating his entry into Karur. “Without police’s help, I would not have come and addressed the rally here,” he said.

Hospital sources said doctors from neighbouring Salem, Tiruchirapalli, and Namakkal districts will join them in the next few hours to treat the injured.