Vijay turns to ex-cops to rein in cadre, bring order to events

CHENNAI: In the wake of the Karur stampede tragedy that claimed several lives during his rally on September 27, the actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president Vijay will soon implement a structured and security-oriented approach to manage TVK's rallies, public meetings, and large-scale events with the formation of a new and first-of-its-kind "retired police officials wing."

According to party insiders, the retired police officials wing will include senior officers who have served in top positions within the Tamil Nadu Police and the Intelligence Bureau. "The wing will be officially constituted in the coming weeks and will oversee all aspects of security planning and crowd control for TVK's political activities," sources said.

"Under our leader Vijay's direction, a panel of around 15 retired officers, including a former Intelligence Bureau Director, former DGPs, and ADGPs, will soon be appointed to plan and monitor safety protocols during public gatherings and rallies," a senior TVK functionary told DT Next. "They will train our cadre on crowd management, coordination, and emergency response to ensure the safety of both the public and party workers," the source added.

Party sources said Vijay decided to take this step after meeting the families of the victims of the Karur stampede in Mamallapuram on October 27.

"He was deeply moved by the tragedy and made a firm decision that TVK's political journey must uphold the public safety and that of the cadre as its highest priority. He told the committee members that no political objective should ever come at the cost of people's lives," an insider revealed.