Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin addresses Karur stampede, announces SOP to prevent future incidents

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], October 15 (ANI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Wednesday addressed the tragic stampede incident that occurred in Karur, emphasising that the government's intention is not to blame or target any individual.
In a statement posted on X, CM Stalin condemned the deliberate spread of misinformation against the government, stressing the importance of clarifying the facts surrounding the incident.
"Regarding the tragic incident that occurred in Karur, the government's intention is not to blame or target any individual. However, when certain people deliberately spread false information against the government, it becomes our duty to clarify the true facts of what actually happened," he said.
He further announced that the state government is actively working on formulating a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to prevent such incidents in the future. "The government is currently formulating a 'Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)' to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future. All necessary actions will be taken in accordance with the final verdict of the Hon'ble Supreme Court," CM Stalin added.
The Chief Minister emphasised the priceless value of human life and called for all stakeholders to act responsibly. "Above all, we must act with a sense of responsibility, keeping in mind that human life is priceless and should be protected by all concerned, he stated."
Earlier in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, CM Stalin responded to an attention motion raised by 34 members on the stampede deaths. He accused opposition leaders of creating a ruckus and walking out after failing to find any fault with the government. He thanked the members who offered suggestions, assuring that their inputs would be considered and appropriate action taken.
"I have told what steps the state government took in the Karur stampede incident. 34 members have given an attention motion on the Karur stampede deaths. Opposition leaders spoke here, created a ruckus inside the assembly and walked out since they couldn't find any fault with this government. I thank members who gave suggestions to this government. I assure all members that their suggestions will be taken and steps will be taken according to their suggestions," Stalin said.
The Chief Minister also detailed the security arrangements at Karur during the event, stating that 606 police personnel were deployed, exceeding the usual strength for political gatherings. Despite anticipating a crowd of 10,000, an unexpected 7-hour delay was a major factor that led to the stampede.
"515 police from Karur district and 91 police from other districts were deployed. A total of 606 police officers were deployed in Karur on the day of the stampede... The number of security personnel deployed was significantly higher than the usual allotment for political campaign meetings. Although the organisers had informed that 10,000 people would attend, anticipating a larger crowd, additional security arrangements were made... The 7-hour delay became a major reason for the stampede at the venue...," Stalin said.
He further shared his immediate response to the tragedy, visiting the victims personally and initiating swift legal action. "Once the Tamil Nadu government became aware of the incident, immediate action was taken. Upon hearing of the tragic incident, I was unable to remain at home. I immediately rushed to Karur and personally met the affected people to offer my condolences... The Tamil Nadu government promptly initiated all necessary actions in accordance with the law," he added. (ANI)