Karur stampede: 'There was no power cut at Vijay's rally despite TVK's request,' says Tamil Nadu govt
Officials and eyewitnesses offer differing explanations about the cause of the power outage and its impact on the crowd. The controversy has increased scrutiny over safety measures at large public gatherings.
- Sep 29, 2025,
- Updated Sep 29, 2025 12:50 PM IST
The Tamil Nadu government has rejected claims by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) that a power cut occurred at the Karur rally attended by party chief Vijay. The state’s Fact Check Unit clarified that although TVK requested a power supply interruption, no official power cut took place. The issue has drawn attention after a stampede during the rally on Saturday resulted in 41 deaths, including women and children, and over 60 injuries.
Officials and eyewitnesses offer differing explanations about the cause of the power outage and its impact on the crowd. The controversy has increased scrutiny over safety measures at large public gatherings.
The Tamil Nadu government's Fact Check Unit stated on X: “There was no power cut at the event. Although the TVK party had requested a power supply interruption, no such power cut occurred. The brief dimming of a few lights was solely due to a generator issue in the party’s arrangements.”
This was backed by statements from the district collector and the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), who reiterated there had been no official interruption in electricity supply. Amid the dispute, a letter written by TVK to the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (EB) ahead of the rally requested a temporary shutdown of electricity at the rally site in Veluchamipuram, citing public safety concerns due to the anticipated large crowd.
The letter read, “Since Veluchamipuram is a crowded area and a large crowd of people will come, I humbly request you to turn off the electricity only for the specified time when the leader is speaking, considering the safety of the public,” according to officials.
Officials from the Tamil Nadu EB confirmed the letter’s existence but stated the request was denied due to safety protocols. Rajalakshmi, Chief Engineer and District West Secretary, said the party’s request had been received and formally rejected.
TVK sources alleged that the power outage was orchestrated, claiming, “The incident had been engineered by the police and the local politician with the illicit connection with the local goondas.” This accusation has not been supported by government sources or independent investigations.
Eyewitnesses at the rally provided accounts that differ from official statements. Vinod Kumar, brother-in-law of one of the victims, said, “It was getting very late, but they wanted to see Vijay sir once. There was a power cut from 7 to 7:30 pm, and the crowd surged just ahead of his arrival. My sister-in-law and her two children, aged 11 and 7, died on the spot. The elder child and younger one were struggling to breathe and got separated from their mother.” Post-mortem reports confirmed suffocation as the cause of death.
The Tamil Nadu government has rejected claims by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) that a power cut occurred at the Karur rally attended by party chief Vijay. The state’s Fact Check Unit clarified that although TVK requested a power supply interruption, no official power cut took place. The issue has drawn attention after a stampede during the rally on Saturday resulted in 41 deaths, including women and children, and over 60 injuries.
Officials and eyewitnesses offer differing explanations about the cause of the power outage and its impact on the crowd. The controversy has increased scrutiny over safety measures at large public gatherings.
The Tamil Nadu government's Fact Check Unit stated on X: “There was no power cut at the event. Although the TVK party had requested a power supply interruption, no such power cut occurred. The brief dimming of a few lights was solely due to a generator issue in the party’s arrangements.”
This was backed by statements from the district collector and the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), who reiterated there had been no official interruption in electricity supply. Amid the dispute, a letter written by TVK to the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (EB) ahead of the rally requested a temporary shutdown of electricity at the rally site in Veluchamipuram, citing public safety concerns due to the anticipated large crowd.
The letter read, “Since Veluchamipuram is a crowded area and a large crowd of people will come, I humbly request you to turn off the electricity only for the specified time when the leader is speaking, considering the safety of the public,” according to officials.
Officials from the Tamil Nadu EB confirmed the letter’s existence but stated the request was denied due to safety protocols. Rajalakshmi, Chief Engineer and District West Secretary, said the party’s request had been received and formally rejected.
TVK sources alleged that the power outage was orchestrated, claiming, “The incident had been engineered by the police and the local politician with the illicit connection with the local goondas.” This accusation has not been supported by government sources or independent investigations.
Eyewitnesses at the rally provided accounts that differ from official statements. Vinod Kumar, brother-in-law of one of the victims, said, “It was getting very late, but they wanted to see Vijay sir once. There was a power cut from 7 to 7:30 pm, and the crowd surged just ahead of his arrival. My sister-in-law and her two children, aged 11 and 7, died on the spot. The elder child and younger one were struggling to breathe and got separated from their mother.” Post-mortem reports confirmed suffocation as the cause of death.