By: The Trek News Desk
Tamil actor Joseph Vijay’s political party, Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), has filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking an independent investigation into the Karur stampede that occurred on September 27, claiming the lives of 41 people. The party has challenged the Madras High Court’s decision to set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the tragedy.
The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice of India B R Gavai, has agreed to list the TVK petition for hearing. The court also mentioned that it would take up the matter on October 10, alongside another plea filed by the father of a Karur stampede victim. This separate petition challenges the Madras High Court’s refusal to transfer the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The TVK’s legal team had requested urgent listing of their plea, and the Supreme Court has set a hearing date for October 10. The petition challenges the October 3 order from the Madras High Court, which directed the formation of an SIT to investigate the Karur stampede.
The SIT will be headed by Asra Garg, Inspector General of Police (North Zone).
The Madras High Court’s ruling also came with a sharp critique of actor Vijay, the event organizers, and the leaders of the political party involved. The court pointed out that they fled the scene immediately after the disaster struck. It emphasized that it was the responsibility of the political party to have taken immediate steps to help those trapped in the stampede, which involved many women, children, and young people.
The court further noted that the party had failed to issue any public statement, either through their official Twitter account or other social media, expressing regret over the incident.
The court condemned this silence, viewing it as a lack of accountability and disregard for human life.
This order came shortly after the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court rejected a plea to hand over the case to the CBI. With the new petition filed by TVK in the Supreme Court, the investigation into the tragic Karur stampede could take a new direction, raising fresh political and legal concerns.
The aftermath of the Karur stampede has sparked intense debates over accountability and political involvement, with the incident now becoming a significant point of discussion in both political and judicial circles in Tamil Nadu.
Source: News Agencies
