10 days after Karur stampede, Vijay finally begins reaching out to victims’ kin

CHENNAI: Ten days after the stampede at his rally claimed 41 lives and left scores injured, TVK president and actor Vijay finally reached out to the families of 20 of the deceased to assure that he would stand firmly by their side in this hour of grief.

During the video call, Vijay spoke for nearly 15 to 20 minutes with each family, offering condolences. "I am with you," he told the kin, and extended his personal support, said party sources.

Speaking to the relatives of Dhanush Kumar, one of the victims, Vijay reportedly said, "What happened should never have happened. This is an irreparable loss. I will stand with your family as an elder brother."

In a call to Vimal from Vadivel Nagar, whose son Thuruvishnu aged one year and ten months, was the youngest victim in the tragedy, Vijay reportedly said, “What has happened should never have occurred. I don’t know how to console you. I will meet you in person soon. Please consider me your brother and stay strong until then.”

Vijay also spoke to Sakthivel, who lost his wife and daughter in the incident. “Please think of me as one among your family. I will not leave you alone,” he reportedly told him.

According to sources, Vijay requested the families not to take photos or videos during the interaction.

The stampede is currently under judicial scrutiny, with a one-member commission headed by retired judge Aruna Jegadeesan probing the tragedy.