Aadhav Arjuna to move HC seeking CBI probe into Karur stampede; Rahul Gandhi dials Vijay

CHENNAI: Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) general secretary for election campaign management, Aadhav Arjuna, will move the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday, after his initial plea was not listed, seeking a direction to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe the Karur stampede tragedy that claimed 41 lives. The plea is expected to be taken up for hearing by Friday, October 3.

According to party sources, the petition will be filed through senior counsel before the Madurai Bench, will seek a detailed investigation into the lapses that led to the stampede during TVK president Vijay’s rally in Karur last week. The plea is likely to name senior district officials and local political representatives for alleged negligence.

The petition will also highlight that despite prior intelligence inputs about the large turnout, adequate precautionary measures, including deployment of medical and emergency teams, were reportedly not in place at the venue.

Meanwhile, Aadhav Arjuna is also set to personally visit the families of the 41 victims who lost their lives in the tragic incident. He is expected to offer his condolences in person and hand over the relief amount on behalf of the party to the bereaved families. To ensure his security during the visit, he will simultaneously file a separate petition before the High Court seeking protection. Once security clearance is granted, he will travel to Karur to meet the affected families.

In a related development, Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has reportedly spoken to Vijay over the phone, inquiring about the circumstances surrounding the tragedy and expressing his condolences to the grieving families of the Karur tragedy.