Karur stampede: Where is Vijay? TVK absent at ground zero even as other parties join relief work

KARUR: Twenty-four hours after the stampede at a rally organised by actor Vijay’s TVK, none of the functionaries from the party had visited the survivors undergoing treatment or the families of those who lost their lives.Actor-politician Vijay limited his response to a social media statement, announcing ₹20 lakh as solatium for each bereaved family and ₹2 lakh for the injured, while holding discussions with party members at his Chennai residence. His absence from the site drew criticism from various quarters.“I share the sorrow of those who have lost their loved ones. As a family member, I will stand by you in this time of grief,” Vijay said in a statement. He also prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured and assured that all necessary assistance would be extended by the party.TVK’s second-rung leadership was also absent. Leaders such as Aadhav Arjuna, CTR Nirmal Kumar, N Anand, and Arun Raj were neither seen in the public nor could be contacted by media and other party functionaries throughout the day.While much of the TVK cadres were in shock, some of them took to social media to blame the ruling party.VCK deputy general secretary Vanniyaarasu said, “Vijay left Karur in a hurry without consoling the affected families. Even his second-rung leaders have not stood with the people. But he rushed to court to escape responsibility. Is this being done with the hope that the BJP govt at the Centre will shield him?” BJP functionary Vinoj P Selvam also questioned the party’s absence. “Except TVK, all other political parties visited Karur overnight to meet the affected,” he said. Naam Tamilar Katchi spokesperson Idumbavanam Karthik too hit out at Vijay.Meanwhile, security was tightened at Vijay’s residence in Chennai with 20 police personnel and four CRPF personnel deployed. Barricades were erected, vehicles checked, and members of the DMK’s student wing staged a protest demanding that he address the victims’ families. Later, police received a hoax bomb threat call targeting his residence.