When we first arrived at Velusamypuram, on the outskirts of Karur, at 10:45 a.m. to cover the Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) meeting, there were no signs of the chaos that would claim several lives that night. The initial gathering of about 1,000 people seemed modest. After finding a suitable vantage point on the terrace of a nearby three-storey building, my colleague, photographer M. Moorthy, and I secured permission from the property owner. By 11 a.m., we were in position, enduring the scorching sun.
As the day wore on, more journalists and media personnel joined us. Soon, a diverse crowd of eager attendees followed, including newlyweds and mothers with infants, all hoping to glimpse actor-turned-politician Vijay. We even encountered a couple returning to Tiruvarur after their honeymoon in Munnar. At least a dozen women with babies had made their way to our terrace lookout.
Initially, the sparse turnout led me to expect a low-key event. However, by 4 p.m., after Vijay’s rally in Namakkal, the crowd numbers swelled dramatically. They waited patiently as high-energy songs praising him filled the air.
Upon Vijay’s arrival, the crowd seemed to nearly double in an instant, and the excitement quickly devolved into chaos. The noise became deafening, making it impossible to discern his speech from our vantage point. I rushed downstairs to get closer, only to find the building door locked. Desperate for a better view, I attempted to climb over the eight-foot steel door but was forcefully pushed back by young people fleeing the surging crowd near Vijay’s vehicle. As the vehicle entered the arena, the crowd struggled to make way, with many on the edges being shoved backward and trampled. Caught in the back, I, too, was pushed down. I managed to cling to the door and eventually made my way back to the terrace.
From that elevated position, the scenes that unfolded were truly horrific and will forever be etched in my memory. It was utter pandemonium. People were falling, and others were trampling over them in a desperate attempt to reach safety. I witnessed eight to ten individuals being carried to ambulances after collapsing. At that moment, I glanced at Vijay, who appeared to be deliberating whether to continue or halt his speech.
After 31 years in journalism, this was, without a doubt, the most disheartening experience of my career. The tragic irony was that, apart from a fortunate few, many never even caught a glimpse of Vijay, the very person they had come to see. Those who were lucky enough to escape returned home with heavy hearts and haunting memories. But for many, that night, they never returned home at all.