New Delhi: Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader Vijay appeared before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Delhi on Monday for the second round of questioning in connection with the Karur stampede case. The development comes as the agency intensifies its probe ahead of the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
Earlier, the CBI had questioned Vijay for several hours on January 12, but investigators were reportedly not fully satisfied with his responses, leading to his fresh summons.
The tragic incident occurred on September 27, 2025, during Vijay’s rally in Karur, when a stampede broke out, resulting in the deaths of at least 41 people, while several others sustained injuries. The incident triggered widespread outrage and political controversy across the state.
Following the stampede, the Tamil Nadu Police accused the TVK leadership of ignoring official advisories and failing to implement adequate crowd-control measures. The state government subsequently constituted a one-member commission to probe the incident.
However, Vijay alleged that the case was politically motivated and claimed there was a conspiracy against him. Rejecting the state-led inquiry, his party approached the Supreme Court, seeking an independent investigation by the CBI.
In October last year, the apex court transferred the probe to the CBI and also constituted an oversight committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Ajay Rastogi to ensure a fair, transparent, and impartial investigation into the tragedy.
Questions Raised During First Interrogation
According to sources, during the first round of questioning, CBI officials asked Vijay several crucial questions, including:
- Whether he had prior knowledge of the rally arrangements
- What steps were taken by the organisers to manage and control the crowd
- Whether the local administration had warned him in advance
- When he became aware of the severity of the crowd situation
Although Vijay reportedly cooperated and answered all questions, investigators felt further clarification was needed, prompting the second round of questioning.
As the probe continues, the Karur stampede case remains a sensitive issue in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape, especially with elections approaching, and is expected to have significant political and legal implications in the coming months.