The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has issued a summons to actor-politician and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) founder Vijay to appear on January 12 in connection with the Karur stampede case, officials said.

The Karur stampede occurred on 27 September 2025 during a TVK political rally in Veluswamypuram, Karur district, when a massive crowd surge turned deadly. The incident claimed 41 lives and injured dozens of others as supporters gathered in large numbers for Vijay’s address.

The development comes after the probe agency earlier questioned and recorded statements of top TVK functionaries as part of its inquiry into the tragedy.

Initially, the Tamil Nadu government opposed a CBI investigation into the incident and instead constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case. The state argued before the court that a SIT was sufficient and better placed to investigate the incident, citing law and order being a state subject.

However, the Supreme Court transferred the investigation to the CBI, observing that the Karur stampede had “shaken the national conscience” and warranted an independent and impartial probe. The top court declined to accept the state’s plea to continue with the SIT and allowed the central agency to take over the investigation.

Since taking over, the CBI has been examining permissions granted for the event, crowd management measures, police deployment and emergency response, while also recording statements from TVK functionaries and officials.

Those who have appeared before the agency in the case include TVK State General Secretary Bussy Anand, Joint Secretaries Nirmal Kumar and Adhav Arjun, and Karur West District Secretary Mathiyazhagan.

Soon after the Karur stampede, the Madras High Court directed the Tamil Nadu government to frame and submit a draft Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for political rallies and public meetings to improve safety protocols for mass events.

Source: India Today