Tamil Nadu: Shops reopen in Karur after TVK rally stampede; owner seeks compensation

Karur (Tamil Nadu) [India], October 8 (ANI): After nearly eleven days, shops around Veluswamypuram in Karur reopened on Wednesday, following the stampede during Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam's (TVK) campaign rally on September 27, which claimed 41 lives.
Speaking to ANI, local shop owner Jeyamani, whose properties suffered severe damage, is now appealing to TVK Chief Vijay for compensation to cover repair costs ahead of the Diwali festival.
"I am one of the shop owners in the area. Following the tragic stampede incident, the roofs of our shops have been severely damaged, and we have been significantly affected. We inquired about the repair costs, and it comes to around ₹3 lakhs," She said.

Jeyamani further added, "We are not in a position to bear this expense on our own, especially with the Diwali festival approaching. Therefore, we are requesting compensation from Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) Chief Vijay. We are expressing this through the media, hoping that our plea will be heard and some relief will be provided to us."
The rally, held on September 27, turned chaotic due to overcrowding, leaving over 110 people injured. Those injured were treated at government and private hospitals and have since returned home.

For ten days, Veluswamypuram bore the visible aftermath of the tragedy, scattered slippers, torn party pamphlets, and personal belongings. Municipal sanitation workers cleared the debris on Tuesday, and a tree that had obstructed movement during the stampede was removed.
Following the incident, the Tamil Nadu government ordered a detailed inquiry. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted under the High Court's directives to probe the incident. Police personnel were deployed at the site for continuous security and investigation work.
Earlier today, the Supreme Court agreed to hear on Friday a plea filed by the actor Vijay's TVK (Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam) through its General Secretary Aadhav Arjuna seeking an impartial investigation to be conducted into the Karur stampede by a retired top-court judge-led panel.
The plea filed through advocates Dixita Gohil, Pranjal Agarwal, and Yash S Vijay has challenged the Madras High Court's October 3 order to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by the Inspector General of Police to probe into the tragic stampede.
The plea contends that despite the High Court's categorical observation doubting the independence of police probe into the matter, the High Court directed the constitution of an SIT comprising solely of three senior officers of the Tamil Nadu Police.
"The Petitioner-party as well as its leaders are prejudiced by the order which appoints an SIT composed solely of officers of the State Police, especially in the face of the observations of the Hon'ble High Court expressing its dissatisfaction with the independence of State Police and its conduct, and prejudicial factual findings against the Petitioner", the plea states. (ANI)