Amid Supreme Court Setback To DMK, Vijay To Visit Karur - A First Since Stampede

The visit comes after the Supreme Court declined to entertain the DMK's appeal seeking restrictions on his speeches and public engagements in connection with the tragedy.

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  • Vijay to visit Karur on Friday, a first since 41 died in 2025 stampede
  • Supreme Court refused DMK plea to restrict Vijay's speeches or visits
  • Vijay may meet victims' families and announce welfare measures in Karur

What welfare measures might be announced for the families of the victims?
New Delhi:

In a major setback to the opposition DMK, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay is all set to visit Karur on Friday -- his first visit to the district since becoming Chief Minister. Karur is the site of the September 2025 stampede that claimed 41 lives, including that of children. 

The visit comes after the Supreme Court refused to entertain the DMK's appeal seeking restrictions on his speeches and public engagements in connection with the tragedy.

The visit carries enormous political and emotional significance. 

Vijay is expected to meet the families of those killed, announce welfare measures for the district and there is speculation that some members of the bereaved families could be offered government jobs, though there has been no official confirmation.

The DMK had gone to the Supreme Court seeking directions restraining the Chief Minister and his ministers from making statements that could allegedly influence witnesses while the CBI probe is in progress, effectively seeking to pre-empt the possibility of Vijay targeting the DMK during his Karur visit and speech.

The Supreme Court, however, questioned the very nature of the relief sought. 

"You want the Supreme Court to dictate what a Chief Minister should do?" the bench asked. 

"You want us to regulate the Chief Minister's speeches and visits?" it observed, reminding the petitioner that "the Chief Minister is not an accused" in the case.

Justice KV Viswanathan also questioned how the Supreme Court could issue orders curbing the speech of a political rival in a case already being investigated by the CBI, remarking that the petitioner was effectively seeking "an injunction on free speech".

The court also observed that the judicial forum could not be used for political purposes, following which the DMK withdrew its plea.

The political confrontation over the Karur tragedy has intensified over the past few days. 

PWD minister Aadhav Arjuna recently said there remained an "unsettled score" over the stampede. Since the tragedy, the TVK has consistently accused DMK heavyweight and former minister Senthil Balaji of engineering the stampede in collusion with sections of the police. 

Senthil Balaji has denied the allegations.

Separately, the Chennai police has registered a case alleging that a group linked to Senthil Balaji and his brother attempted to bribe TVK MLA Dr Ilayaraja with up to Rs 35 crore to vote against the government in a proposed resolution against the Speaker. 

The DMK has alleged that the case is an attempt to arrest Senthil Balaji ahead of Vijay's Karur visit. 

At least eight people have been arrested, while Senthil Balaji and his brother have sought anticipatory bail.

The CBI, which is probing the stampede, has twice questioned Vijay in Delhi. Earlier, the Tamil Nadu Police alleged that the tragedy resulted from multiple lapses, including Vijay's delay in reaching the venue, which allowed the crowd to swell far beyond the permitted strength, besides inadequate arrangements for drinking water, food and toilet facilities. 

The TVK has denied the allegations, maintaining that the tragedy was the result of administrative failures and accusing the police of attempting to shift the blame onto the party.

Friday's visit is also politically significant because Vijay had faced criticism after the tragedy for returning to Chennai without visiting the injured or the bereaved families. 

He later invited the affected families to Chennai instead, explaining that he wanted to avoid further confusion and law-and-order issues in the immediate aftermath of the disaster.

None of the affected families complained against Vijay or the TVK for lapses or failures.

With the Supreme Court declining to intervene and the CBI investigation continuing independently, Vijay's visit is expected to mark a politically significant return to Karur nearly 10 months after the tragedy that has continued to cast a shadow over his party.

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Vijay, Karoor, Tamil Nadu