Karur Stampede: 39 Dead at Vijay’s Rally, Tamil Nadu Govt Orders Judicial Probe

Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin today said the bodies of 30 of the 39 people, who died in the devastating stampede during TVK Founder and actor Vijay's Political rally at Karur last night were handed over to their family members after post mortem.

Talking to reporters after paying homage to the bodies at the Karur Government Medical College Hospital and calling on the injured undergoing treatment there, he said post mortem was done on 30 bodies so far and they were handed over to their family members.

Separate ambulances were arranged to transport their bodies to their native places, he said.

The post mortem on the remaining nine bodies were on and would be completed in a couple of hours and handed over to the families.

Of the 39 killed, Udhayanidhi, who had rushed to the state cutting short in foreign visit, said 32 hailed from Karur district, two each from Erode, Tiruppur and Dindigul districts and one from Salem district.

Of the 39 killed, 17 were somen, 13 women and nine children--five girls and four boys, he said.

Mr Udhayanidhi, accompanied by seven Ministers, said the government would always stand by the families of the victims. "No words of comfort could offset the loss suffered by them...because it was such a huge tragedy", he added.

The State government has done all it could do on its part, he said, adding, he had spoken to the doctors, the nature of treatment being given to each of the injured, what are the issues, whatever tests needed to be done and how long it will take for them to recover.

"I will update this with Chief Miniser M K Stalin", he added. Responding to questions, Udhayanidhi said he did not wish to talk politics in this hour of crisis

and that he did not want blame anyone for the tragedy. The government has formed a One Man Commission led by Retd Justice Ms Aruna Jagadeesan and she will submit her report to the government after a detailed probe on the cause of the tragedy and suggest measures to prevent such incidents do not happen in future.

He also said the Retd Justice would visit Karur later today and start her probe.

A total of 51 people injured in the stampede were undergoing treatment at Karur government hospital, while 30 others were being treated at Private hospitals and the state government has agreed to bear their medical expenses.

Chief Minister M K Stlain apart from announcing a solatium of Rs ten lakh each to the families of the deceased, also ordered a Judicial probe into the incident.

He also airdashed to Trichy, drove down to Karur early this morning, paid homage to the bodies of the deceased by placing wreaths, personally consoled the family members, and also met those injured undergoing treatment at the hospital.