Karur stampede tragedy: CBI likely to file chargesheet by month end

Chennai, Feb 5: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is expected to file its chargesheet by the end of this month in connection with the tragic stampede during a political campaign event in Karur last year.

Officials indicated that the chargesheet may be submitted before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Tiruchirappalli either by February 12 or before the month concludes.

The incident occurred on September 27 last year at Veluchamipuram in Karur district during an election campaign meeting addressed by TVK leader Vijay.

A sudden surge and heavy crowd congestion triggered a stampede, resulting in 41 deaths and injuries to at least 110 people, making it one of the deadliest public gathering disasters in recent times in Tamil Nadu.

Following directions from the Supreme Court, the probe was handed over to the CBI to ensure an impartial and comprehensive investigation. Since taking over the case, CBI officials have carried out extensive enquiries involving several key stakeholders.

Investigators have questioned the Karur District Magistrate, the Superintendent of Police, senior police personnel, and officials from various government departments responsible for event management and public safety.

Emergency vehicle drivers and road traffic administrators were also examined regarding crowd control and response measures.

In addition, statements were recorded from the families of the deceased and injured victims to better understand the sequence of events and possible lapses.

The CBI team also conducted multiple on-site inspections and forensic assessments at the accident location to reconstruct the circumstances that led to the tragedy.

The agency had earlier filed the First Information Report (FIR) before the Karur Judicial Magistrate Court No. 1. Subsequently, the trial jurisdiction was transferred to the Tiruchirappalli Chief Criminal Court.

In recent developments, several prominent individuals, including Karur District Magistrate M. Thangavel, Superintendent of Police K. Joshtangayya, TVK president Vijay, and event administrators N. Anand and Adhav Arjun, appeared before the CBI office in New Delhi to provide explanations related to the incident.

With the investigation nearing completion, officials say the chargesheet is in its final stages of preparation. The forthcoming filing is expected to clarify accountability and pave the way for judicial proceedings in the case.