Karur (Tamil Nadu): Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) lawyer Manikandan on Tuesday defended the party over the Karur stampede tragedy, stating that it had complied with all conditions imposed by police and that crowd control was the responsibility of law enforcement. His remarks came after a local court in Karur sent two TVK functionaries to judicial custody in connection with the September 27 incident that claimed 41 lives.
Lawyer defends party’s conduct
Speaking to ANI, advocate Manikandan said TVK had organised several political events in the past without incident and insisted the Karur tragedy was caused by an unexpected surge in crowd numbers.
“We had argued that the police have the authority and intelligence to control large gatherings. In Karur, we followed every condition imposed by them. We had taken permission from 3 pm to 10 pm. When Vijay travels, naturally more people will gather, but crowd control is the responsibility of the police,” Manikandan said.
He further explained that the meeting began smoothly but the crowd swelled within minutes. “To control the crowd, the police had to act,” he added.
Two TVK leaders sent to custody
Earlier on Tuesday, a local court remanded Mathiyazhagan, TVK’s Karur West District Secretary, and MC Paun Raj, the Karur town functionary, to judicial custody till October 14. Both were accused of arranging flagpoles and flex banners for TVK president and actor Vijay’s rally.
Mathiyazhagan was arrested on Monday, while Paun Raj was taken into custody on Tuesday after a medical examination. Police confirmed that an FIR had been filed against three individuals in connection with the incident.
“Permission sought as per law”
Manikandan reiterated that the party had sought permission for a gathering of 10,000 people and complied with police directions. “One meeting was even cancelled based on police advice. They could have warned us earlier if they anticipated an uncontrollable crowd. The judge has observed that action will proceed according to law, and bail applications may be filed,” he said.
BJP leaders meet bereaved families
Meanwhile, BJP MPs Anurag Thakur and Tejasvi Surya met with the families of those who lost their lives in the tragedy. They expressed condolences and assured that the matter would be raised at appropriate levels to ensure accountability.
Conclusion
As investigations continue, the focus remains on whether TVK organisers or the police bear greater responsibility for the mishap. While TVK maintains it acted within the law, the court’s decision to remand its local leaders to custody underlines the seriousness of the probe. The Karur stampede has sparked state-wide debate on safety measures at political gatherings and the urgent need for stricter crowd management protocols.