TVK failed to cooperate, refused to stop campaign vehicle 50 meters ahead despite swelling crowd warning, says ADGP

CHENNAI: State Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) for law and order, Davidson Devasirvatham, on Sunday addressed the media regarding police deployment for TVK's rally in Karur on Saturday and stated that the police department had provided adequate personnel, but the organisers did not cooperate with the police.

ADGP Davidson said that organisers should cooperate with the police and pointed out that Karur town DSP had requested the organisers to stop the campaign vehicle about 50 metres before the allotted spot as crowds had started swelling, but the organisers refused and insisted on reaching the allotted place."It was a restless crowd and several of them had come by noon and there seem to be no adequate water and food facilities," the ADGP said.

"Initially, on September 23, they gave a petition to conduct the campaign at Lighthouse Roundtana. Since it was a high-risk place, permission was denied, and then they asked for Uzhavar Sandhai, which was also denied. Subsequently, on September 26, they gave a petition for the allotted place and were given permission," the ADGP said.

On police deployment, ADGP Davidson said that for low-risk crowds, one policeman will be deployed for every 250 persons, for moderate-risk crowds, one policeman for 100-150 persons, and for high-risk crowds, one policeman will be deployed for every 50 persons. The bandobust of 500 police personnel deployed at Karur was consistent with the number of police personnel deployed at previous rallies of TVK President Vijay, the ADGP said.

"In Tiruchy, the police deployment was 650 personnel, in Ariyalur 287, Perambalur 480, Nagapattinam 410, Tiruvarur 413, Namakkal 279 and in Karur, it was 500. Even in Namakkal, there are about 34 persons who were hospitalised due to heat stroke," ADGP Davidson said, and the entry of an ambulance in the Karur roadshow was after police informed authorities about a stampede-like situation.

The police officer clarified that there was no stone pelting involved and that the organisers did not cooperate with the police. It was further pointed out that only 137 persons were deployed for Leader of Opposition, Edappadi K Palaniswami's public address at the exact location a day ago."It was an orderly crowd, well-regulated, and they dispersed smoothly. In case of Saturday's incident, we faced difficulties in bringing ambulances out of the scene and even taking TVK President Vijay out of the venue," he said.