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A major election rally for Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president Vijay was abruptly cancelled in Tiruppur district on Tuesday after at least 15 supporters collapsed due to severe heat and overcrowding.
Following the incident and severe congestion, a scheduled six-kilometre roadshow by the leader was cancelled on police advice. The incident occurred as thousands of supporters gathered hours in advance to catch a glimpse of the actor-turned-politician during his intensive campaign tour for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections. The rally, which was expected to be a massive show of strength in the textile hub of Tiruppur, turned chaotic as the afternoon temperatures soared. The crowd began assembling at the venue from 10 a.m. in anticipation of the campaign. Vijay, who was expected to address the public at 4 p.m., arrived at approximately 4:45 p.m. Due to the scorching sun and high temperatures during the afternoon, 13 women and two men fainted. They were immediately transported to nearby hospitals via ambulance for medical treatment. Local volunteer teams and police personnel rushed the affected individuals to nearby primary health centres. Most are reported to be in stable condition. Upon receiving news of the medical emergencies and the deteriorating crowd conditions, Vijay and the TVK leadership decided to cancel the address to prevent a repeat of the tragic 2025 Karur stampede. Following a campaign event at the Perumanallur Four Road junction, Vijay was scheduled to travel to Pooluvapatti as part of a roadshow. Although the police had granted permission, a massive influx of supporters along the Perumanallur-Tiruppur stretch led to severe congestion, making movement impossible. Based on police advice, the roadshow was called off, and Vijay subsequently left for Coimbatore via the Salem-Cochin National Highway. The incident follows a recent stampede in Karur, which resulted in the deaths of 41 people. Following a Supreme Court order emphasising the need for an independent probe, the Karur stampede case was transferred from a state-level Special Investigation Team (SIT) to the CBI. The agency continues to examine the circumstances of that event, scrutinising crowd management arrangements, the timeline of the leader's arrival, and coordination between party organisers and local authorities. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu will go to the polls in a single phase on April 23, with the counting of votes scheduled for May 4. The main contest is expected between the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance, which includes the Indian National Congress, DMDK and VCK, and the National Democratic Alliance led by AIADMK with BJP and PMK as allies. Actor-turned-politician Vijay is also set to make his electoral debut with his party TVK, which could turn the contest into a three-way fight. (ANI)
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