Karur, Sep 28: The death toll in a devastating stampede, that broke out during actor and TVK chief Vijay’s rally in Karur on Saturday, has claimed the lives of 39 people.

According to reports, panic erupted when a sudden surge of people rushed toward a distribution point, leading to chaos and trampling. Emergency services responded swiftly, but the sheer volume of the crowd made rescue efforts challenging.

Local authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, focusing on crowd management failures and the lack of adequate safety measures.

President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President and Tamil Nadu native C.P. Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Governor R.N. Ravi, and Leader of Opposition Edappadi K. Palaniswami were among those who condoled the deaths and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

Also read: 23 Dead, Several Injured In Stampede At Vijay's Rally In TN's Karur

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and announced compensation for the victims’ families.

The incident has sparked nationwide concern over the safety protocols at mass gatherings, with calls for stricter regulations and accountability.

Vijay, who launched TVK in February last year, began his campaign for next year’s Tamil Nadu assembly polls in Trichy on September 13. After kicking off his campaign in Trichy, Vijay held the Karur rally, where the stampede occurred.