Actor-turned-politician Vijay, founder of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), met with 37 of the 38 families who lost their loved ones in last month’s Karur stampede, which claimed 41 lives during a party welfare event. The meeting, held on Monday at a private resort in Mamallapuram near Chennai, was Vijay’s first direct interaction with the bereaved families since the tragedy on September 27.
Vijay Meets Victims’ Families At Mamallapuram
According to attendees, Vijay personally met each family between 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., spending time listening to their accounts and offering condolences. Family members said the actor-politician apologized for the incident and expressed regret for not visiting Karur immediately after the stampede.
One parent who lost a child said Vijay broke down in tears while speaking, describing the meeting as deeply emotional. “He spoke like a family member, not a politician,” another attendee shared, adding that Vijay refrained from making political remarks throughout the session, as per a report on The Print.
The families had been brought to Mamallapuram on Sunday and accommodated in 46 rooms arranged by the TVK team. Many of them took photographs with Vijay, holding portraits of their deceased relatives as a tribute.
Stampede Victim’s Wife Returns Rs 20 L Compensation
While the meeting brought solace to several families, it also reflected the lingering pain and dissatisfaction among some victims’ kin.
Earlier, Vijay had announced a Rs 20 lakh compensation for each bereaved family, which was credited to their bank accounts. However, M Sangavi, wife of victim Ramesh from Kodangipatti in Karur, returned the amount, saying she was upset that Vijay neither visited Karur as promised nor informed her about the Chennai meeting, reported The New Indian Express. She transferred the money back, expressing her discontent with how the outreach was handled.
Karur Tragedy
The Karur stampede, which occurred during a welfare aid distribution event organised by TVK in Velusamypuram, remains one of the worst crowd disasters in recent political history. Among the 41 victims were 16 women and six children.
While Vijay’s meeting offered closure to some families, the tragedy continues to cast a shadow over his nascent political journey, raising questions about event management, accountability, and crisis response within his party.
