In a charged courtroom atmosphere on Friday, the Supreme Court reserved its order in the Karur stampede case — a tragedy that claimed 41 lives during a rally organized by actor Vijay’s political party, Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK). The bench, comprising Justice J.K. Maheshwari and Justice N.V. Anjaria, announced that the verdict will be pronounced on Monday, October 13, after hearing a cluster of petitions demanding an independent investigation.
Background
The incident took place on September 27 in Tamil Nadu’s Karur district during a TVK public gathering, reportedly organized to distribute welfare assistance. What was meant to be a celebratory event turned into chaos when the crowd surged uncontrollably, leading to a fatal stampede.
Following the tragedy, the Madras High Court directed the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Tamil Nadu Police officials. However, Vijay’s party and several others approached the Supreme Court, expressing concerns over the fairness of a state-led probe. TVK demanded a judicially monitored investigation by a retired Supreme Court judge, while others called for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take charge.
They argued that since the incident involved political sensitivities and possible administrative lapses, a probe by state authorities would lack credibility.
Court’s Observations
During the hearing, the bench made some sharp observations about how the High Court handled the matter. Justice Maheshwari questioned, “How could the Chennai bench of the High Court issue directions on a case arising from Karur, which falls under the Madurai bench’s jurisdiction?”
The court also noted that the order to form an SIT was passed in a completely different petition seeking Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for political rallies, not specifically on the Karur tragedy. “The linkage between the SOP petition and this incident seems unusual,” the bench remarked, implying that judicial overreach might have occurred.
Further, the judges scrutinized the state government’s decisions leading up to the tragedy. They questioned the administration’s judgment in granting permission for a large rally amid crowd control concerns.
In a pointed exchange, Justice Anjaria asked the State’s counsel, “Why were post-mortems of all victims completed within just a few hours on the same night? Was there a rush to close the matter?”
These questions suggested that the Supreme Court was not entirely convinced by the manner in which the investigation and subsequent procedures were being handled by state authorities.
Decision
After hearing detailed submissions from all parties, including the Tamil Nadu government, TVK representatives, and independent petitioners, the Supreme Court reserved its verdict. The order is set to be pronounced on Monday, and it is expected to clarify whether the case will remain with the state’s SIT or be transferred to an independent body such as the CBI or a retired apex court judge.
For the families of the 41 victims, Monday’s judgment could determine whether justice moves closer-or drifts further away.
Case: Karur Stampede Incident – TVK & Others vs State of Tamil Nadu
Date of Order Reserved: October 10, 2025 (Friday)
Date of Verdict: October 13, 2025 (Monday)
Incident Date: September 27, 2025