Chennai: The death toll in the stampede in Tamil Nadu's Karur rose to 40 while 67 others were undergoing treatment, state health secretary P Senthil Kumar said on Sunday.
The stampede took place on Saturday during a Tamilaga Vettri Kazhaga (TVK) rally.
As the toll mounted, the TVK party, led by actor-politician Vijay, moved the Madras High Court bench in Madurai seeking an independent probe into the stampede. The plea is expected to be heard by the Madurai bench of the high court on Monday. "Our petition seeking an impartial and transparent probe into the Karur tragedy will be taken up for hearing before the Madurai Bench tomorrow afternoon. We will make our official statement thereafter," TVK joint general secretary CTR Nirmal Kumar told reporters on Sunday.
Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin met the families of those who died and those hospitalised after being injured in the stampede. "I have ordered ₹10 lakh each to be given to the families of the deceased. An inquiry committee has been formed under the leadership of retired Justice Aruna Jagatheesan to investigate Karur stampede. It has never happened before that so many people died at a meeting organised by a political party. This should not happen again," Stalin said.
Meanwhile, the Madras High Court called off an urgent Sunday hearing into the matter.
A victim of the stampede had approached the HC against granting any permission to the political rallies organised by the TVK until the completion of an inquiry into the tragedy. Though the court had allowed a special Sunday hearing, the plea could not be heard as the petition was not formally filed or numbered.
Earlier in August, TVK had moved the HC against what it termed "unreasonable restrictions" by Tamil Nadu police on its rallies, including a bar on pregnant women's participation. At the time, the court had cautioned the party and asked it to act responsibly. The bench had also advised that the police and the state come up with a uniform system, including set conditions for all political parties to hold public rallies.
The stampede took place on Saturday during a Tamilaga Vettri Kazhaga (TVK) rally.
As the toll mounted, the TVK party, led by actor-politician Vijay, moved the Madras High Court bench in Madurai seeking an independent probe into the stampede. The plea is expected to be heard by the Madurai bench of the high court on Monday. "Our petition seeking an impartial and transparent probe into the Karur tragedy will be taken up for hearing before the Madurai Bench tomorrow afternoon. We will make our official statement thereafter," TVK joint general secretary CTR Nirmal Kumar told reporters on Sunday.
Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin met the families of those who died and those hospitalised after being injured in the stampede. "I have ordered ₹10 lakh each to be given to the families of the deceased. An inquiry committee has been formed under the leadership of retired Justice Aruna Jagatheesan to investigate Karur stampede. It has never happened before that so many people died at a meeting organised by a political party. This should not happen again," Stalin said.
Meanwhile, the Madras High Court called off an urgent Sunday hearing into the matter.
A victim of the stampede had approached the HC against granting any permission to the political rallies organised by the TVK until the completion of an inquiry into the tragedy. Though the court had allowed a special Sunday hearing, the plea could not be heard as the petition was not formally filed or numbered.
Earlier in August, TVK had moved the HC against what it termed "unreasonable restrictions" by Tamil Nadu police on its rallies, including a bar on pregnant women's participation. At the time, the court had cautioned the party and asked it to act responsibly. The bench had also advised that the police and the state come up with a uniform system, including set conditions for all political parties to hold public rallies.
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