As the CBI began its probe into the stampede in Karur during the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) rally on September 27, actor-politician Vijay seems to have deferred his plans to visit the families of the deceased ahead of Diwali.
Vijay and other TVK leaders, including the party general secretary 'Bussy' N. Anand and C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar, sources say, had a closed-door meeting on Wednesday. The meeting was held at Vijay’s residence at Neelankarai on the outskirts of Chennai, a day after the Supreme Court transferred the case to the CBI. The Court’s interim order came as a blessing for Vijay and other TVK leaders, who were facing imminent arrest. Anand and Nirmal Kumar had reportedly filed a petition in the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court, seeking anticipatory bail. With the apex court transferring the case to the CBI, the two leaders who were allegedly absconding, fearing arrest, came out to meet Vijay.
During the meeting, they reportedly discussed the plans for Vijay’s visit to Karur to meet the kin of the victims. It was said Vijay would meet the families of victims at a marriage hall in Karur, as it was not feasible for him to visit each of the 41 families at their place. Arrangements were being made by the party leaders, and the local office bearers at Karur were looking for a marriage hall to hold the event.
However, now with the CBI beginning a probe against Vijay, the party insiders say, has “temporarily postponed his trip to Karur.” But before planning to visit Karur and hold the event at a marriage hall, Vijay’s party leaders had written to the head of the Police force in Tamil Nadu, seeking “zero tolerance crowd management” and “a green corridor” for him to travel from Trichy airport to Karur.
Meanwhile, IPS officer Praveen Kumar, a Gujarat cadre officer, assisted by CBI's Additional Deputy Superintendent of Police (ADSP) Mukesh Kumar and Deputy Superintendent of Police Ramakrishnan, arrived in Karur on Thursday. The SIT, headed by IPS officer Asra Garg, which was investigating the case, handed over all the documents to the CBI officers. The officers, sources say, will camp at Karur till Saturday evening, and the probe will resume after Diwali holidays.
Praveen Kumar and his team will investigate the reasons that led to the stampede and the alleged negligence on the part of TVK organisers and the administration. The investigation under a Gujarat cadre officer and his team has brought a sigh of relief to the TVK and Vijay, according to sources. Hours after the Supreme Court transferred the case to the CBI, Vijay, in a post on X, said, “Justice will prevail.” |
