Chennai:
Actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) founder Vijay broke down on Monday as he met the families of those who lost their lives in last month’s tragic Karur stampede, which claimed at least 41 lives during his political rally.

The emotional meeting took place at a resort in Mamallapuram, near Chennai. Vijay expressed deep regret over the tragedy and apologised for not being able to visit Karur immediately after the incident. “I was feeling guilty that I couldn’t meet you earlier. Now that I have, I can finally move forward,” the actor told the families.

According to reports, 37 of the 41 affected families attended the meeting. Each family met Vijay in small groups, and the actor personally consoled them. Family members said Vijay assured them of continued support, promising to “stand by them through their lives.”

Ahead of Diwali, Vijay had already provided ₹20 lakh in relief to each bereaved family. He had earlier stated in a video message that he avoided visiting the injured immediately after the incident to prevent any escalation of tension at the site.

The September 27 stampede occurred during a TVK event in Karur, leaving 41 dead and around 50 others injured. Following the tragedy, the Supreme Court ordered a CBI investigation, while the state police and ruling DMK blamed the chaos on delays caused by Vijay’s team. The TVK rejected the allegations, calling them politically motivated.

The Madras High Court has since directed the Tamil Nadu government to establish standard operating procedures (SOPs) for managing large political gatherings within ten days.

Vijay’s statewide political tour remains on hold, but Monday’s meeting is seen as a possible step toward reviving TVK’s public outreach ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.

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