Karur Stampede – Can actor Vijay become a top political contender in Tamil Nadu

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By Syed Ali Mujtaba, Edited By Adam Rizvi, The India Observer, TIO: Chennai- How Karur Medical College Hospital in Tamil Nadu rose to the occasion during the stampede at popular actor Vijay’s political rally is a story that needs to be told.

Local media have reported the scene inside the hospital, and lauded the doctors, nurses, and staff members who worked on a war footing to save the lives of those injured in the stampede on  September 27, 2025.

On that fateful day, at least 41 people were killed and around 100 were injured in a crowd that crushed them as they came in large numbers to have a glimpse of their heartthrob actor Vijay, who has now entered politics and organized a political rally under the banner of his TVK party in the Karur district of Tamil Nadu.

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Nearly 85 doctors reported within hours of the incident, and about 90% of the hospital staff turned up without being summoned, according to media reports. The mortuary became the busiest section of the hospital.

Nearly 20 postgraduate students from nearby medical colleges, including Salem, Tiruchi, and Namakkal, were pressed into service after police clearance to carry out the post-mortem procedures. These students worked throughout the night and completed examinations on the 39 bodies, submitting their report in record time by the afternoon of September 28.

They were assisted by laboratory technicians, attendants, and support staff who worked alongside the doctors and the nurses to keep the operations running.

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Government and private ambulances also worked in tandem to handle this man-made catastrophe. R. Velayutham, a private ambulance driver, recalled, “that night was a nightmare, I made three trips within a few hours. Despite the chaos, the public cooperated with us and cleared the way,” he said, the media reported.

Handling those accompanying the patients and the victims proved challenging for doctors at Karur Government Medical College and Hospital. The hospital had not faced such a test in years after COVID, and they rose to the occasion, with teamwork being the key motivating factor.

 Such stories of human resilience are seldom told in the national media. Their primary focus is on the amount of force Vijay and his party, TVK, have generated in Tamil Nadu following this rally.

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Another gossip doing the rounds is who is financing Vijay’s political campaign in Tamil Nadu. Going by the rule of elimination, Congress and the DMK are alliance partners, as are the AIADMK and the BJP. In such a case, neither of the two national parties is funding TVK’s political fortunes. In such a situation, the money that is pumped into Vijay’s rally is coming from the business cartels of either the state or national business honchos. Such money bags are backing Vijay as the dark horse, who may unseat the DMK in the forthcoming election in the state.

Nonetheless, the rally hosted by the chocolate hero of Tamil cinema at Karur has made the point that Vijay has emerged like a political phoenix after the Karur stampede in Tamil Nadu.

A new political star is born in Tamil Nadu, is suggested by his huge fan following gathered at the Karur rally. Actor Vijay is following the footsteps of MG Ramachandran, J. Jayalalitha, and Karunandhi, who all have come from the cinema industry and cashed in on their popularity to become heavyweights in the political arena of the state.

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 In a recent interview, actor Vijay said that “the AIAMDK party will soon fold up due to its link with the BJP, and the people will flock to his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), making it their political choice.”

 Tamil Nadu politics right now is DMK-centric, and MK Stalin is its undisputed leader. Going by the work he has done for the people of the state, he is sure to win the state election hands down.

Notwithstanding the facts, going by actor Vijay’s political rally at Karur, heads are turning and murmurs are doing rounds that another MGR is born who will knock out the DMK from power as late MGR did, when his AIADMK registered a landslide victory on June 30, 1977.

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However, at the moment, it is too early to build any hype around actor Vijay’s electoral prospects.  If the number of people who have attended his rally at Karur is an indicator, then his political fortune is on the ascendancy. It certainly gives a signal that this film star is knocking at the door of Tamil Nadu politics.

Safe may be the way to say that this popular hero of Tamil Cinema is certainly going to make his presence felt in the upcoming election in Tamil Nadu. 

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Curated by Humra Kidwai

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