Actor and founder of the political party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), Vijay, is preparing for his first public appearancefollowing a devastating stampede at a party rally in Karur, Tamil Nadu, on September 27, 2025.
Reports suggest that the actor-turned-politician is likely to visit Karur on 17 October.
The tragedy resulted in the deaths of 41 people, including women and children, and left many others injured.
The victims included at least 10 minors, the youngest being a two-year-old child. In the immediate aftermath, Vijay announced a compensation of Rs 20 lakh for the families of each of the deceased and Rs 2 lakh for the nearly 100 injured.
Vijay’s proposed visit to Karur is specifically to meet the bereaved families, offer condolences, and provide relief, with the party insisting that it be a strictly private affair.
The TVK has requested extensive security arrangements, including a secured corridor from the Tiruchi airport to Karur, traffic diversions, and a one-kilometre security cordon around the meeting venue to ensure no party cadre or general public gathers.
This high level of security is requested amid rumours that the Ministry of Home Affairs may upgrade Vijay’s personal security from Y-Scale to Z-Scale, and following a recent bomb threat call to the actor’s residence.
The stampede has intensified the political atmosphere, with Vijay issuing a video statement telling Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to target him, not his TVK cadre, in the political discourse following the disaster.