Karur tragedy: EPS raises questions to govt, holds it accountable for tragedy

CHENNAI: Citing eyewitness accounts and media reports on the stampede at TVK’s rally in Karur that claimed 41 lives, AIADMK general secretary and Opposition Leader Edappadi K Palaniswami said they made it clear that it was the DMK government that was accountable for the tragedy.

In a statement, he said the incident was a direct result of administrative failure and political negligence.

Eyewitness accounts and detailed reports in the media made it clear that if the government had taken proper precautions and handled the situation responsibly, these deaths could have been prevented, EPS said.

There were several unanswered questions emerging from the testimonies of victims, eyewitnesses, and even police personnel on duty, he said, asking Chief Minister MK Stalin and the Home Department he heads to come clean on them.

Among the questions he raised was the decision to allow the uncontrolled inflow of people, despite knowing that the event was delayed and people were thronging in the already congested area.

Basic safety and emergency protocols were ignored, Palaniswami said. Victims said there was a power cut. “A power failure is bound to make the crowd agitated. Why were these basic facilities not ensured? Did the police and district administration conduct a security review? Were there discussions on crowd control, power backup, and medical response,” he asked.

“Why did the police simply stand by from 10 am to 7 pm as the crowd swelled uncontrollably? Who gave them orders not to intervene?”

ADGP (L&O) S Davidson Devasirvatham claimed that one police official was deployed for every 20 people, though the official numbers were never verified, he said. “He first said 500 policemen were on duty, then avoided specifying the exact figure. Eyewitness videos show very few policemen in the actual crowd,” EPS noted.

Condemning the DMK government for deflecting blame instead of accepting responsibility, EPS said: “These are not rumours, they are the words of victims, eyewitnesses, and even police personnel who risked their lives. They cannot be silenced or denied. Those trying to glorify this government while covering up its failures must read these reports again and speak with conscience. These 41 lives were lost not to fate, but to official apathy and negligence.”