Overwhelming sorrow has enveloped a modest home in Vadivel Nagar, Velusamypuram, just a stone’s throw from where actor and TVK leader Vijay held a massive public gathering on Saturday, September 27, 2025. This is the dwelling of Thuruvishnu’s family, now grappling with the unimaginable loss of their precious one-year-and-ten-month-old son, a victim of the tragic stampede that claimed 40 lives.
Vishnu was the sole joy of Vimal, a 25-year-old daily-wage worker, and Matheswari, 22, who is speech- and hearing-impaired. After two years of marriage, their lives were blessed with their son. In a hushed, grief-stricken ceremony on Sunday morning, they bid their final farewells.
On that fateful Saturday evening, Vimal’s elder sister, Lalli, and her husband, Pasupathi (32), had joined the rally with their teenage children, bringing young Vishnu along. As Mr. Vijay began his address, chaos erupted.
“There was a sudden power cut, then issues with the microphone. The crowd grew agitated, people couldn’t hear his voice, and a violent surge began,” Lalli recounted, her voice thick with emotion. “I was holding Vishnu in one arm and my daughter in the other when we were violently pushed back. I fell, and the baby slipped from my grasp. For two agonizing hours, I searched desperately. I was injured myself and later admitted to the hospital, only to be discharged the following morning.”
It was through television footage of the government hospital that Vimal’s worst fears were confirmed. Rushing to the hospital, he found his beloved son among the deceased.
“We are staunch fans of Vijay,” Lalli stated, her eyes downcast. “If only the government had provided the spacious venue he requested, or if the power supply hadn’t failed, none of this would have happened. It’s difficult to lay blame solely on him, but this tragedy should never have occurred.”
Neela, another aunt of the child, sat beside Matheswari, offering comfort, though she herself was inconsolable. “My sister-in-law cannot even hear or speak, yet she comprehends her loss with heartbreaking clarity. The pain she endures is truly beyond words.”