By Apoorva Misra,News18,Poornima Murali

Copyright news18

In a tiny 200 square-foot hut, a mother lays near a lit lamp as part of the last rites of her son. Gasps of anguish escape her parched lips as the lamp throws oddly disturbing shadows on the tiny walls. Every shadow reminds her of her 18-month-old son who liked to chase them till the light dimmed.
Her head is bent in utter grief, her cheeks are sunken and upon them tears flow silently. She is hearing and speech-impaired, and quite literally, there are no words to articulate her misery.
On Sunday evening, the woman was cooking her son Dhurushree’s favourite meal, when her husband’s sister took the child to see actor-politician Vijay, who was set to speak at a spot not far from their hut.
Her husband Vimal was at work and came to know about his sister’s fatal decision when he was returning home. Unfortunately, he was too late. In a daze, he carried the limp, seemingly lifeless, toddler to hospital, where they declared him dead.
With little crowd control, increasing numbers and lack of proper pathways for ambulances, the rally spot turned into a death trap. (News18)
“The doctor told us there are at least 32 injury marks on his body. His ribs were totally damaged…” Vimal said, breaking down multiple times. “Had I not gone there along with my nephew, none of this would have happened,” his sister wailed.
“She said there was a power cut and everybody panicked,” Vimal recounted. “My sister, her children and my son fell down. Due to the power cut, people there walked over my son. This is what I heard. Even my sister and children fell down and people trod on them.”
The tiny hut is engulfed in grief, its effect chilling the inhabitants to the bone. Yet, the question remains: Who should they blame? Who is Vimal angry with?
Adopting a dispassionate, philosophical tone, Vimal says he does not want to blame anyone, but only hopes no father ever finds himself in the position he is now.
Karur is now Ground Zero of grief. Forty-one families are in mourning and several of them have lost their youngest members. Over 50 people are still in hospital, nursing themselves back to health from what was an innocuous-looking death trap.
Actor Vijay, who has floated the Thamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), was on a multi-district campaign. Taking on the ruling DMK and the AIADMK-BJP alliance, Vijay’s TVK is striking out alone and friendless this election. After a mega rally in Trichy, and after smaller ones in Permabulur and nearby districts, the vehicle was slated to arrive in Karur. Arrive it did, but nearly six hours late. Having sought permission for a crowd of 10,000 people, the organisers faced a frenzied horde of 27,000 people. Policemen counting more than 200-300 (as per eyewitnesses) were pressed into service. With little crowd control, increasing numbers and lack of proper pathways for ambulances, the rally spot turned into a death trap unwittingly arranged by a big star who commanded a loyal horde of fans.
Multiple accounts of a power cut-triggered panic are prevalent, while some say the cuts were necessary as the crowds climbed on an electricity transformer to get a better look of their ‘Thalapathy’. (News18)
The backstories of people who lost their lives make it too tragic to contemplate. Take the case of 14-year-old Dharanika and her mother Priyadarshini, the only family of 57-year-old Shaktivel. Having lost their nine-year-old daughter in September 2022, Shaktivel has now lost his wife and other child, completely marooning him for life.
“They left by 11, saying Vijay is coming by 1pm. I called my wife at 4.30pm as I came to know that there was no sign of Vijay. The call didn’t go though. I sent an audio note. It didn’t reach her. I called again at 7, 7.30, 7.45pm. At 8, when I called her, a lady picked up the call and shared the news that my wife is no more.”
Shaktivel cannot contain his frustration that his wife and teenage daughter would put their lives at risk, staying amid crowds where people were arriving in waves.
“I told my wife and daughter to come back if there was overcrowding. I appeal to people to prioritise their safety more than anything else.”
At the Karur government hospital, the scenes are heart-rending.
A man has just come to know that he has lost his wife. Their daughter, who is convalescing in a distant hospital after an injury, is constantly calling him about her mother. At a loss and unwilling to convey the news, he is constantly cutting the call. Another woman has lost her husband—the only breadwinner of the family.
At the stampede site, strewn footwear and flags are the only remnants of tragedy. Eyewitness accounts bring out the ordeal in morbid detail. Things escalated quickly as swelling crowds pressed into themselves as Vijay started speaking. Disoriented and short of breath, people tried to escape the venue by dashing in all directions, and that led to a stampede.
Prabhakar, who was present at the venue on Saturday evening, said: “Why did the police give permission for this venue? How can such huge crowds be accommodated?”
Multiple accounts of a power cut-triggered panic are prevalent, while some say the cuts were necessary as the crowds climbed on an electricity transformer to get a better look of their ‘Thalapathy’.
The DMK government soon swung into action. Chief minister Stalin left for Karur that night, deputy CM Uday Stalin arrived from Dubai the next day. A probe by a retired judge was ordered and rumour mongers on social media are being rounded up, with cases filed.
Actor Vijay has said he is “heartbroken” and has offered prayers for the families of the deceased to gather strength and tide over this grief.
Politically, Vijay is at a crossroads. His political career took off with a bright, effervescent start. It is now faced with serious questions on his organisational ability, and leadership qualities in facing crises. The fact that he has not been able to meet with the grieving families is advanced as an argument against him. No doubt Vijay the politician will emerge. Stronger and wiser, or timid and cautious is something time will tell.
At the other corners are the DMK, looking supremely powerful and geared for a showdown, and the AIADMK-BJP combine, looking cohesive and set for a spirited fight.
Vijay would now know that politics is live-wire, politics is deadly, and politics knows, or shows, no mercy. If one were to wonder if 41 lives is worth the price, the answer is at once crystal clear and deeply concerning.