The Supreme Court-monitored Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the tragic Karur stampede has taken a significant turn. The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party has submitted crucial video evidence to the federal agency, directly alleging that lapses by the Tamil Nadu state government and the local police led to the incident that claimed 41 lives.
Video Evidence Points to Systemic Failures
The three-day inquiry session concluded in Delhi on Wednesday. Following the final round of questioning, TVK joint general secretary C T R Nirmal Kumar addressed the media. He stated that the party provided video recordings and detailed explanations to the investigators. This evidence, according to Kumar, clearly highlights where the government made critical mistakes and where the police failed in their duty, ultimately showing how the stampede could have been prevented.
Nirmal Kumar confirmed that the inquiry has concluded for now, with the party providing all information sought by the CBI team. He emphasized that TVK flagged serious lapses, including irregularities in postmortem procedures following the tragedy. The party also formally placed on record all details related to the permits granted for the September 27 event in Karur.
Cooperation and Quest for Justice
The TVK leader affirmed the party's full cooperation with the ongoing CBI investigation. The primary objective, he stressed, is to secure justice for the 41 victims who lost their lives in the devastating stampede. While there is no fixed date for any further inquiry, investigators will now examine the voluminous material, including the video evidence, already submitted before deciding if additional clarifications are needed.
Responding to specific claims from the state government—that information was relayed via walkie-talkies and that TVK still wanted actor-politician Vijay to participate despite being informed of the crowd situation—Nirmal Kumar declined to comment publicly. He maintained that it would be inappropriate to discuss such details while the probe is underway, trusting the CBI to examine all submissions and take its own independent course.
A Supreme Court-Mandated Probe
The CBI inquiry, led by officers Sumit Sharan and Sonal V Mishra, was ordered by the Supreme Court after petitions demanded an independent investigation into the September 27 disaster. The court explicitly transferred the case from the Tamil Nadu police to the CBI, citing the paramount need for an impartial and transparent investigation.
The Delhi questioning sessions involved senior TVK functionaries, including general secretary 'Bussy' N Anand, Nirmal Kumar himself, and Karur district secretary Mathiazhagan. On the official side, the CBI also examined the Karur superintendent of police, subordinate officers, and local revenue officials.
Nirmal Kumar also dismissed speculative media reports suggesting that party founder Vijay might be summoned in the case, stating that the party would not engage with such conjecture. The CBI's path forward will involve a thorough analysis of the evidence before potentially filing a chargesheet upon completion of the comprehensive probe.
