Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president Vijay is set to appear before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) at its headquarters in New Delhi on Monday in connection with the fatal stampede that occurred during a political rally in Tamil Nadu’s Karur district last year.

The tragedy unfolded on September 27 at Veluchamipuram near Karur, where a massive turnout gathered for a campaign event addressed by Vijay. Chaos erupted due to extreme overcrowding and alleged shortcomings in crowd regulation, leading to a stampede that claimed 41 lives and left over 100 people injured.

The incident sparked strong public backlash and intense legal scrutiny, prompting the Supreme Court to hand over the investigation to the CBI. Following the apex court’s directive, a dedicated CBI team from Delhi has been stationed in Karur for several weeks to carry out an in-depth inquiry.

Investigators have so far recorded statements from more than 200 people, including victims’ families, injured attendees, eyewitnesses, ambulance personnel, and local residents. Several government officials and political organisers associated with the rally have also been questioned as part of the probe.

Senior TVK functionaries such as N. Anand, Adhav Arjun, and CTR Nirmal Kumar have already been examined by the agency, along with key district officials including the Karur District Collector and Superintendent of Police. As the investigation advanced, multiple witnesses and officials were summoned to Delhi for further questioning.

In a detailed reconstruction of events, CBI officers transported Vijay’s campaign vehicle to Karur and conducted a thorough technical and forensic examination. The vehicle’s driver at the time, Paraneetharan, was asked to recreate the sequence of movements while seated in the same position as during the rally, alongside Vijay, to help investigators identify potential failures that may have contributed to the tragedy.

With the inquiry reaching a critical stage, the CBI issued a formal notice directing Vijay to appear before the agency on January 12. Sources said investigators are expected to question him extensively on issues related to crowd control planning, security deployment, permissions obtained for the event, and the overall management of the rally.

Given the politically sensitive nature of the case, the Union Home Ministry has requested heightened security arrangements. The Delhi Police, along with Central Reserve Police Force personnel and Vijay’s personal security team, have implemented Y-category security measures to ensure his safety during the visit.

Vijay left Chennai earlier today on a private flight and is expected to head straight to the CBI office upon arrival in the national capital.

As the high-profile leader faces questioning, the case continues to attract nationwide attention, with political analysts closely monitoring the investigation for any broader political ramifications.