Chennai: The Madras High Court on Friday constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the Karur stampede that occurred on September 27, claiming 41 lives during a public meeting organised by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). The SIT will be headed by Inspector General (IG) of Police Asra Garg.

Court condemns TVK party’s conduct

Justice N Senthilkumar criticised the TVK party for abandoning the site after the tragedy and noted that the party did not express remorse over the incident. The court said it cannot close its eyes or shirk responsibilities, emphasising that the events were witnessed by the entire world.

The order came in response to a plea filed by a citizen who had sent a representation to state authorities urging them to frame guidelines for roadshows and conduct a proper investigation into the incident. The plea highlighted that the stampede was not a mere accident but occurred due to careless planning and complete negligence by organisers.

Petitioner’s demands

The plea requested:

  • Immediate action against those responsible for the Karur tragedy.
  • Framing of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for political rallies and public gatherings.
  • Suspension of permissions for such gatherings until proper safety protocols are implemented.

The petitioner emphasised that absence of SOPs and safety guidelines increases the risk of recurrence of such tragedies in the future.

Previous court orders and context

Earlier, the Madras High Court denied pre-arrest bail to the TVK Namakkal District Secretary over the roadshow rampage, stating that party members should have exercised better control. The court also rejected pleas seeking a CBI probe into the Karur stampede, with the government stating that no political meetings will be allowed until an SOP is framed.

Next steps

The newly constituted SIT will investigate the circumstances leading to the stampede, identify responsible parties, and submit a detailed report. Authorities are expected to review the petitioner’s representation and implement safety measures for all future political events.

Conclusion

The Madras High Court’s move to constitute an SIT and its strong remarks against the TVK party underline the urgency of establishing strict safety protocols for political gatherings. The focus now is on preventing similar tragedies in the future while holding the responsible parties accountable.