An event associated with actor Vijay’s nascent political organization, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), has resulted in 38 fatalities, including 16 women and six children, and over 100 individuals requiring hospitalization across Karur and Trichy. At Karur Medical College alone, 48 people are reportedly receiving treatment.
Gopalan Ravindran, a retired communication professor, characterized the attendees as a “transient crowd” primarily comprising Vijay’s fans rather than established party workers, highlighting the significant film-politics nexus in Tamil Nadu’s rally culture. Earlier on the same day in Namakkal, five individuals reportedly collapsed due to heat before Vijay’s arrival at an event for which permission was granted for 10,000 attendees and 500 police officers were deployed.
The article notes that Vijay has previously leveraged restrictions on his rallies for political advantage. Following the incident, Vijay departed for Chennai, reportedly meeting with police and party members while avoiding media interaction.
Source: indianexpress.com