Actor-turned-politician Vijay's Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) party activist Ayyappan (51) tragically ended his own life by hanging in his room on Monday. Police recovered a suicide note from his room where Ayyappan expressed his depression over the stampede that occurred during a Karur party rally. He held DMK local MP Senthil Balaji accountable for the calamity.
In his suicide note, Ayyappan wrote, 'There wasn't enough police security at Vijay’s Karur rally. Vijay's fans did a commendable job. Senthil Balaji is the cause of this incident. The police were complicit, and they should be arrested and jailed soon.' Just three days earlier, Ayyappan had visited his elderly parents in Mayilam village, Viluppuram district. Police arrived quickly at the scene, took possession of Ayyappan's body, and sent it to the Mundiyampakkam Government Hospital for a postmortem.
41 Dead, 80 Injured in Karur Stampede
Police have registered a case of suicide and initiated an investigation. It should be noted that TVK Chief Vijay’s rally in Karur on September 27 resulted in a stampede causing the death of 41 people and injuring over 80 seriously. The police have filed cases against TVK’s Karur district secretary Mathiyazhagan, state secretary Bushy Anand, and joint state secretary CTR Nirmal Kumar under sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) 105, 110, 125 (b), 223 and Tamil Nadu Public Property Act section 3.
Read Also: 'Vijay Intentionally Delayed Arrival to Gather More Crowd...', Police Blame TVK Chief for Karur Stampede
TVK Demands Judicial Inquiry into Stampede
Vijay’s TVK party filed a petition for a judicial inquiry into the stampede with the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court. TVK refuses to acknowledge the event as an accidental stampede, suspecting a greater conspiracy. They allege a sudden power outage at the rally site followed by stone-pelting on the crowd. Meanwhile, police baton-charged, leading to chaos and panic. Tamil Nadu police, however, refuted these charges, holding Vijay and senior party leaders responsible for the stampede.
Police Hold Vijay Responsible for the Stampede
The FIR filed by police in this case accuses Vijay of deliberately arriving 7 hours late to the rally to gather a larger crowd, showcasing TVK’s strength. The police also alleged TVK disregarded instructions and conducted a roadshow without permission. According to the FIR, 11 conditions were set for Vijay’s rally, and 500 police officers were deployed for security and traffic management.
Read Also: 'One Nation One Election a Threat to Democracy...', TVK Launches Statewide Campaign Targeting BJP and DMK
FIR Against Three TVK Officials in Stampede Case
The FIR mentions that following media announcements of Vijay arriving at noon, crowds began gathering at the venue from 10 AM onwards. While permission was sought for 10,000 people, over 25,000 crammed into a small space. Police had warned TVK leaders Mathiyazhagan, Bushy Anand, and CTR Nirmal Kumar of the escalating suffocating situation, but these warnings were ignored.
TVK’s Karur District Secretary Mathiyazhagan Arrested
As per the FIR, TVK leaders failed to control their supporters, leading to chaos. People climbed onto trees and shop sheds, which collapsed under excessive weight, causing individuals to fall, suffocate, and be trampled. Tamil Nadu police on Monday arrested TVK’s Karur district secretary Mathiyazhagan in connection to the stampede at Saturday night's rally addressed by actor Vijay.
