A crowd surge at a political gathering in Karur, Tamil Nadu, southern India, resulted in at least 36 fatalities and 45 injuries requiring hospitalization. The incident occurred when a large number of attendees advanced toward a makeshift stage, positioned atop a bus, where actor-turned-politician Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar, known professionally as Vijay, was speaking. Among the deceased were eight children. State Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, via social media, and Health Minister Ma Subramanian, through local news outlets, confirmed the casualties, with the latter indicating that the death toll was expected to increase. Mr. Chandrasekhar, 51, a former prominent actor, established his political party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, in 2024 after concluding his acting career.
Source: www.nytimes.com