TVK leader alleges ex-Minister's role in TN stampede, Madras HC registry refuses plea for CBI probe

Chennai, Sep 29 (IANS) Alleging a deliberate conspiracy behind the stampede in Tamil Nadu’s Karur district that claimed 41 lives during actor-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) rally, the party’s General Secretary of Election Campaign Management, Aadhav Arjuna, has approached the Madras High Court seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe.

In his petition, Arjuna directly accused former Minister V. Senthil Balaji, along with members of the ruling DMK and the state police, of engineering the deadly incident. He claimed TVK rallies had been systematically sabotaged through administrative hurdles and deliberate disruptions.

According to the petition, permission to hold meetings was frequently denied at preferred venues and instead granted in “confined spaces” unable to hold large crowds. Arjuna said this pattern was seen in Namakkal, Trichy and Nagapattinam, where electricity was cut mid-event, police presence was insufficient, and attempts were made to create panic.

He alleged the Karur tragedy followed the same pattern. “Just before Vijay began his speech, power was cut, pushing people toward the backup generator and triggering confusion,” Arjuna said, adding that “anti-social elements” had infiltrated the crowd and thrown slippers and stones at Vijay and attendees.

Arjuna also pointed to what he described as “suspicious preparedness” by state authorities — with hospitals ready before victims arrived, post-mortems conducted at midnight, and ministers reaching the hospital unusually fast. He argued this shows “a determination by the ruling DMK to sabotage the rally at any cost.”

The petition said the same government machinery that selected the venue should not be allowed to probe the tragedy due to a clear conflict of interest. Arjuna asked the court to hand the investigation to the CBI to ensure an impartial inquiry and also sought protection against any obstruction to him or TVK chief Vijay visiting Karur to meet bereaved families.

However, sources said the Madras High Court registry refused to accept the petition on procedural grounds, halting his move for now. TVK leaders indicated they would seek legal advice on refiling the plea.

The demand for a CBI probe and direct allegations against Senthil Balaji have sharpened the political battle around the tragedy, even as the state government’s one-person judicial commission led by retired High Court judge Aruna Jagadeesan begins its work.

--IANS

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