The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has formally taken over the probe into the tragic Karur stampede that claimed 41 lives during actor-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) rally on September 27.Acting on the Supreme Court’s directive, the CBI began its investigation on Friday, starting with a detailed inspection of the Velusamy Puram site where the stampede occurred. The team took measurements of the rally venue and reviewed key evidence handed over by the State Investigation Team (SIT), which had been leading the probe under the supervision of the Madras High Court.
According to officials, the CBI team is also set to meet district authorities, including the Collector and Superintendent of Police, to collect detailed accounts of the incident. The investigating officers will summon eyewitnesses and family members of the victims for questioning in the coming days. The Supreme Court’s three‑member oversight committee, headed by former apex court judge Justice Ajay Rastogi, will monitor the CBI’s progress to ensure fairness and transparency. The central agency’s takeover marks a major shift from the earlier state-led inquiry, which faced criticism from opposition leaders for alleged bias and slow progress.