Madurai/Chennai: The Madras High Court has established a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into the tragic stampede that occurred during a political rally hosted by actor and TVK founder Vijay on September 27. This decision came on the same day that the court rejected anticipatory bail requests from two senior party officials, criticizing both the party and law enforcement for their roles in the incident that resulted in 41 fatalities and over 60 injuries.

The principal bench of the High Court also dismissed a request from a BJP leader for a CBI investigation, advising her to seek recourse through the Madurai bench instead.

Chief Minister M K Stalin and the ruling DMK have directed their criticisms towards the BJP and Vijay. Stalin accused the BJP of attempting to exploit the tragedy for political gain, while the DMK condemned Vijay for his perceived 'arrogance, greed for money, obsession with publicity, and thirst for power.'

The DMK claimed that Vijay's challenge to the state government to arrest him was a tactic to distract from the deaths of 41 individuals.

The SIT, led by senior IPS officer Asra Garg, has been tasked with investigating the circumstances surrounding the stampede. The court also expressed disapproval of the TVK event organizers, the party leadership, and the police for their handling of the situation, which included the deaths of children.

The Madurai bench denied bail to Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) state general secretary Bussy N Anand and deputy general secretary CTR Nirmal Kumar, both named in the FIR related to the incident.

These TVK officials, along with a local party leader who has already been arrested, face charges under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

In a separate case, a single judge bench of the High Court also rejected the anticipatory bail plea of a TVK member from Namakkal, who was involved in an attack on a private hospital during Vijay's public meeting.

Political tensions surrounding the September 27 incident continue to escalate.

Chief Minister Stalin criticized the BJP and the central government for their lack of genuine concern regarding the stampede, suggesting that the saffron party is trying to leverage the incident for the upcoming Assembly elections.

He questioned the urgency with which a delegation of NDA MPs was dispatched to Karur to investigate the stampede, contrasting it with the absence of similar responses to other recent tragedies.

Stalin remarked, 'There’s no real interest or concern. It’s a petty act aimed at political gain ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.'

He further accused the BJP of being a 'parasite' that thrives on the misfortunes of others, asserting that Tamil Nadu is beyond their control.

Stalin pointed out that during three significant natural disasters in Tamil Nadu, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman did not visit or allocate funds, yet she rushed to Karur following the stampede.

The DMK has also criticized Vijay, stating that his acting career has long since faltered and will not translate into success in real life.

In an editorial, the DMK's publication 'Murasoli' condemned Vijay, claiming that his arrogance, which contributed to the deaths of 41 people, remains unchecked.

In a video message released on September 30, Vijay stated that the government could take any action against him regarding the stampede but should spare his party members.

In light of the tragedy, the DMK suggested that Vijay was compelled to announce a compensation of Rs 20 lakh to the victims' families, following the Chief Minister's announcement of Rs 10 lakh each for the deceased.

The DMK argued that Vijay's challenge to arrest him was an attempt to divert attention from the tragic loss of life.

The ruling party also noted that TVK's lower-tier leaders have seemingly gone into hiding and questioned why Vijay arrived at campaign events hours late, leading to exhaustion among supporters who had waited for long periods.