Central agency directs TVK leader and actor Vijay to appear for questioning on January 10 in the Karur stampede case that killed 18 devotees.
Stampede at Karur Mariamman Temple during Aadi festival in July 2025; CBI probe focuses on alleged poor crowd management and unauthorised mobilisation by TVK.
TVK calls it cooperation; ruling DMK sees political motive; opposition slams state govt for administrative lapses.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has issued a notice to Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) founder and actor Vijay, directing him to appear before the agency for questioning in connection with the tragic Karur temple stampede that claimed 18 lives during the Aadi festival celebrations in July 2025.
The notice, sent on January 5, asks Vijay to present himself at the CBI's Chennai branch office on January 10, 2026, along with relevant documents related to the event. Sources indicate the questioning pertains to TVK's alleged role in organising and promoting the large-scale gathering at the historic Karur Mariamman Temple, where massive crowds led to a deadly crush at the temple entrance during the annual festival.
The stampede occurred on July 25, 2025, when thousands of devotees, many reportedly mobilised through TVK's social media campaigns and local outreach, converged at the temple without adequate police permission or crowd management measures. The Tamil Nadu government initially blamed "unauthorised political mobilisation," while TVK accused the state administration of failing to provide sufficient security despite prior intimation.
A judicial commission probing the incident had recommended CBI involvement after finding lapses by both local authorities and event organisers. The CBI took over the case in October 2025, registering an FIR under sections for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, negligence, and criminal conspiracy.
TVK sources confirmed receipt of the notice and said Vijay would fully cooperate with the investigation. "Actor Vijay has nothing to hide. He will appear as required and clarify that TVK only encouraged devotees to visit the temple as part of cultural tradition, the tragedy was due to administrative failure," a party spokesperson said.
The development has sparked political controversy in Tamil Nadu, with DMK leaders accusing TVK of using the tragedy for sympathy, while opposition parties criticised the state government for "shielding its own failures" by shifting blame. Vijay, who launched TVK in February 2024 and is preparing for the 2026 Assembly elections, has maintained that the notice is an attempt to "harass" him politically.
The CBI is expected to question several other TVK functionaries and local organisers in the coming days.
