“I Trusted The Police, But They Blamed Me”: Vijay Breaks Silence On Karur Stampede

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay made his first return to Karur since the devastating stampede during his election campaign in September 2025 that killed 41 people. Vijay, in black, as a mark of respect, told a huge crowd that the incident was the deepest, most memorable wound in his public life.

During the visit, when he handed over government job orders to 32 bereaved families of the victims personally, the actor-turned-politician launched a bitter attack on the police and opposition DMK for attempting to turn the tragedy against him.

“They Led Us Into a Trap”

The Chief Minister, recalling the chaotic timeline of that fateful day, accused the local police under the previous DMK administration of deliberately keeping him in the dark as a dangerous situation unfolded on the ground.

Vijay had sharply contrasted two different law enforcement responses to highlight what he believes to be a political setup:

Perambalur Precedent: On his state-wide tour, police in Perambalur had told his team in no uncertain terms that the crowd had grown unmanageable. Vijay, who is conscious of public safety, immediately took their advice and turned back with a heavy heart.

The Karur Reality: To be fair, the local police didn't bother to give his team a warning about the massive crowd build-up as his convoy moved towards the Velusamypuram highway venue.

The Failure to Alert “The police have every right to cancel a meeting if they feel something is wrong—they don’t even need to consult us,” Vijay said. Instead, they decided to escort us straight down the highway to the spot. I took them at their word and thanked them on stage, oblivious to the political drama being played out behind the scenes."

Criticism of DMK's "Opportunistic Politics"

The Chief Minister, replying to the assembly debates, strongly took on the opposition DMK, particularly the former Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, for attempting to put the entire blame on his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).

“Who is really responsible for this?” Vijay asked straight out to the crowd. Whose orders were followed in all this? Who told the police to keep quiet?” He blasted the opposition for using a human tragedy involving “the children of our sisters” to score political points against a rising political rival. The electorate has already given a final verdict by electing the TVK to power in the 2026 assembly elections, he said.

A Lasting Memorial for the Victims

Vijay announced that TVK would erect a permanent official memorial in Karur, funded by the party itself, so that the lives lost would never be forgotten.

“The monument will be a permanent tribute to his late supporters and a stern, ongoing reminder of administrative accountability to ensure that political games never put public safety in Tamil Nadu at risk again,” the chief minister said.