VCK leader Thiruma rules out conspiracy angle, says can’t blame anyone for stampede
“There are no spots in Tamil Nadu where one lakh people can gather. It happened because the huge crowd was made to stand at a particular spot for a long time,” he said.
Thol Thirumavalavan
TIRUCHY: There is no conspiracy behind the Karur stampede, as the frenzied fans surged forward to see TVK leader Vijay, their matinee idol, which resulted in the chaotic situation, said VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan on Saturday.
Distributing a solatium of Rs 50,000 each to the families of the 41 people who died in the tragedy, he said, “This is an unexpected event, like that of the tragedy that took place in Bengaluru cricket stadium, Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh, and Kumbakonam Mahamaham tragedy. No one can conspire to create a stampede, and so no one can be blamed for this.”
Even a gathering of 15,000 persons can end in a stampede if it is not correctly organised, Thiruma said, noting that the police cannot be blamed for the tragedy, as they were not adequately informed about the crowd. “There are no spots in Tamil Nadu where one lakh people can gather. It happened because the huge crowd was made to stand at a particular spot for a long time,” he said.
Later, speaking to reporters, Thiruma said his party has already urged the State to provide government employment to the kin of the deceased, and added that Chief Minister MK Stalin, who was very concerned over the tragedy and acted responsibly in its aftermath, would decide on providing employment, too.