BJP forms eight-member panel led by Hema Malini to review TN stampede 

Chennai, Sep 29 (IANS) In the wake of the tragic stampede at actor-politician Vijay's Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) rally in Tamil Nadu's Karur, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President J.P. Nadda, on Monday, constituted an eight-member fact-finding committee led by party MP and veteran actress Hema Malini. 

The move comes amid growing political and public outrage over the September 27 incident, which claimed 41 lives and left more than 60 people injured.

The deadly crush occurred at Velayuthampalayam in Karur when thousands of people surged forward to see Vijay during an evening campaign event.

Witnesses reported panic after a sudden power disruption and overcrowding near the stage area, leading to chaos and a stampede.

Many victims were women and children, and several remain in hospitals in Karur and Erode.

The NDA delegation led by Member of Parliament Hema Malini will include former Union Minister and Lok Sabha BJP MP Anurag Thakur, BJP MPs Tejasvi Surya, Brij Lal, Shiv Sena leader Shrikant Shinde, BJP MPs Aparajita Sarangi, Rekha Sharma, and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Putta Mahesh Kumar.

The team is expected to visit the stampede site, meet affected families, interact with local officials, and submit its report to the BJP's Central leadership.

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, who visited the site hours after the incident, expressed deep sorrow and assured strict action once the Justice Aruna Jagadeesan-led Commission of Inquiry submits its findings.

Chief Minister Stalin said that the state government will also frame new safety guidelines for public rallies to prevent similar disasters.

He appealed for restraint on social media and urged people to avoid spreading speculation.

AIADMK General Secretary and former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami called the tragedy "heart-wrenching" and demanded a transparent investigation.

He questioned the state's preparedness for crowd control and called on the state government to ensure accountability for administrative lapses.

TVK Chief Vijay, who had termed the deaths a "political conspiracy", filed a petition in the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court seeking a CBI or independent probe.

He announced financial assistance of Rs 20 lakh to each bereaved family and said his party stands with those who suffered unimaginable loss.

With multiple inquiries underway — the state's judicial probe, Vijay's legal petition, and now the BJP's independent review -- the Karur stampede has escalated into a politically sensitive issue that could shape discourse ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly polls.

--IANS

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