Vijay rally stampede: Plea in Supreme Court seeks CBI probe

The controversy surrounding the Karur stampede in Tamil Nadu reached the Supreme Court on Tuesday, with a plea being filed before the top court for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe [Panneerselvam Pitchaimuthu v. Union Of India]..The plea moved by Panneerselvam Pitchaimuthu, the father of a stampede victim, was mentioned before a Bench led by Chief Justice of India BR Gavai today, who agreed to list the case on October 10, Friday.The development comes days after the Madras High Court refused to entertain a similar plea by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Uma Anandan..The stampede happened at a rally organised by the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party in Veluswamypuram on September 27 where party founder and actor Vijay was campaigning.According to reports, the rally was permitted for about 10,000 people, but the turnout far exceeded that number, with estimates ranging between 25,000 to 60,000 people attending. Many arrived early, waiting for hours under hot conditions without sufficient water or facilities. The situation was exacerbated by narrow roads, electricity issues, inadequate crowd control measures and escape paths blocked by ropes, barricades and hoardings.At least 41 people died during the stampede, including women and children, and dozens were injured.Following the event, an FIR was filed against several TVK functionaries (excluding Vijay) under charges including culpable homicide not amounting to murder, for failing to ensure safety and for misrepresenting expected crowd size and venue arrangements. .The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on October 3 refused to order a CBI probe into the incident, while considering a plea by BJP's Uma Anandan.A Bench of Justices M Dhandapani and M Jothiraman noted that the Tamil Nadu Police's probe into the incident is at an initial stage and that the petitioners seeking a CBI probe were not the victims of the stampede."If aggrieved persons come to this court, we will rescue. Who are you? Don't treat this court as the political arena. If, in the investigation, something goes wrong, you come. This is the initial stage," the High Court remarked.It also took on record the submission by the State government that it will not permit any rallies or meetings near state or national highways till Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are framed in that respect.The High Court passed the order while hearing over a dozen petitions filed in the aftermath of the Karur stampede.Interestingly, the same day, the principal bench of the Madras High Court had passed a separate order constituting a special investigation team to probe into the incident. .The plea before the Supreme Court has been filed through Advocate Aman Malik. .Corrigendum: It was earlier reported that the plea before the Supreme Court was an appeal moved by BJP leader Uma Anandam. The error has been rectified and is regretted.