Petitioner questions omission of TVK chief’s name in FIR
Chennai, October 3, 2025: A writ petition has been filed in the Madras High Court accusing the Tamil Nadu government of shielding actor-politician Vijay after a stampede at his roadshow left 41 people dead last week. The petitioner, P H Dinesh, has questioned why the name of Vijay, the chief of the Tamil Nadu political party Thalapathy Vijay Katchi (TVK), was not included in the first information report (FIR) filed over the incident.
Dinesh has also sought directions restraining the home secretary and Director General of Police (DGP) from granting permissions for roadshows or political events to TVK or any other party until a standard operating procedure (SOP) is framed to ensure public safety.
Allegations of negligence and mismanagement
The petition claims the stampede was caused by poor planning and negligence on the part of the organisers and authorities, and holds the TVK leadership responsible for the tragedy. The petitioner contends that proper crowd control measures were not implemented, contributing to the chaos that resulted in the loss of lives.
The vacation bench of Justice N Senthilkumar is scheduled to hear the plea on Friday. Legal experts suggest the case could have broader implications on the organisation of political rallies and public safety regulations in Tamil Nadu.
Background of the incident
The stampede occurred during a roadshow organised by Vijay’s party last week, attracting large crowds of supporters. Eyewitnesses reported overcrowding and lack of adequate security personnel at key points, which led to panic and eventual stampede. Emergency services were called in, but 41 people were confirmed dead, and many others injured.
Public outrage has grown over the handling of the rally, with critics arguing that authorities failed to enforce safety norms despite prior warnings regarding crowd management at large-scale political events.
The petitioner’s move also comes amid calls for stricter oversight of political gatherings to prevent similar tragedies in the future. Authorities have yet to comment on the petition or the proposed restrictions on future roadshows.