As the crowd swelled and people started getting suffocated because of the heat and overcrowding, actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) President Vijay stopped his speech in Tamil Nadu’s Karur and started tossing bottles of water at the crowd to help, videos showed.
At least 38 people – including eight children – died and 46 were injured after a stampede broke out at the rally, which saw nearly 30,000 supporters and fans gathering to catch a glimpse of the actor-politician.
A video shows people, packed like sardines, crowding near Vijay’s custom-built campaign bus, hanging on to his every word. Even as the jostling sends waves through the crowd, the politician says a few words, pointing to two ambulances that are trying to make their way through.
Noting a commotion right next to the bus, Vijay stops speaking, asks for a bottle of water and throws it into the crowd, the video shows. Others on the bus also help him, and they toss a few more bottles down.
VIDEO | TVK leader Vijay pauses speech in Karur, distributes water to people, arranges for ambulance for those in the crowd feeling suffocated.
(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/uCBNuilCBZ
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 27, 2025
Probably noticing someone in distress, the actor shouts, “Coming, coming, coming… ambulance”.
Officials said Vijay was supposed to reach Karur around noon on Saturday, but was delayed and went there only after 6 pm. This led to the crowd growing ever larger and there was almost no space on the road by the time his bus arrived. Follow updates here
The delay prompted an attack on the TVK chief by the DMK, which alleged that it was deliberate to ensure that he could get good visuals and claim that he enjoys support among a large section of people. The actor-politician is trying to project himself as an alternative to the coalitions led by the DMK and the AIADMK – two parties between which power has rotated in Tamil Nadu for decades – ahead of the Assembly elections next year.
In a statement, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin extended his condolences and said at least eight children and 16 women were among those killed.
Announcing compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the families of the dead, the chief minister said a one-member commission of inquiry, headed by retired High Court Justice Aruna Jagadeesan, will be constituted to investigate the incident.
“The loss of these precious lives has shaken the hearts of us all. I express my deepest condolences and sympathies to the families who have suffered this irreparable loss. I have directed that the best medical treatment be provided to all those admitted to hospitals. I will be travelling to Karur tonight to meet the families of the deceased, offer my condolences, and visit those receiving treatment in hospitals,” he said.
