CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) chief engineer in Karur has made an explosive revelation regarding the Karur TVK rally stampede that left 41 people dead.The chief engineer claimed that the power supply was not disrupted while TVK chief Vijay was delivering his speech. He stated that the TVK west secretary had sent a letter to TNEB on September 26 requesting a power cut during Vijay’s speech, but the request was rejected the same day.“It is clear from all the images that the lights were on. The generators and focus lights set up by the organisers got switched off due to the crowd. TVK west secretary sent a letter on Sept 26 requesting a power cut when Vijay spoke at the rally, but it was rejected immediately,” the engineer told TOI.Meanwhile, actor-politician Vijay alleged a “political conspiracy” and approached the Madras High Court’s Madurai bench seeking a CBI or independent investigation into the incident.The death toll from the stampede at Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam leader Vijay’s campaign rally in Karur has now risen to 41, following the death of 65-year-old Suguna, who had been on ventilator support in an intensive care unit.Among the deceased are 18 women, 13 men, five young girls, and five young boys. Of the 41 victims, 34 were from Karur district, two each from Erode, Tiruppur, and Dindigul districts, and one from Salem district.The massive crowd at Vijay’s rally on Saturday evening reportedly turned chaotic, triggering panic. Several attendees fainted and were rushed to nearby hospitals. Overcrowding at the venue is said to have led to the tragedy.A day earlier, Vijay announced he would provide financial assistance of Rs 20 lakh to the families of the deceased and Rs 2 lakh to the injured. In an emotional post on X, he expressed being “at a loss for words” and said the faces of the deceased kept flashing through his mind.Prime Minister Narendra Modi also announced that families of the 39 people who initially died in the stampede would receive Rs 2 lakh each from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund. An amount of Rs 50,000 was announced for those injured.Following the incident, Karur police registered a case and charged TVK office-bearers with negligence. Forensic teams examined areas including a sewer where a couple of bodies were reportedly found. Shops and businesses in the area were closed as a mark of respect.TVK deputy general secretary Nirmal Kumar said the party sought an impartial probe, while Vijay limited his response to a social media statement about financial assistance for the victims.
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