Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], October 29 (ANI): A fact-finding team formed by the All India Democratic Women’s Association said in its report that the main reason for the Karur stampede was the delay of Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam leader and actor Vijay in reaching the rally site.
The last month’s stampede at the TVK rally left 41 people, including women and children, dead.
The report also recommended that the ex-gratia amount to the affected families should be collected from the TVK. The report will be submitted to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is probing the stampede.
“We should see this stampede as a violation of human rights. The main reason for the stampede is Vijay’s delay in reaching the rally site. Most people only wanted to catch a glimpse of Vijay, not listen to his speech. It means this was only a fans’ show, not a roadshow…We will submit our report to the CBI,” advocate U. Nirmala Rani, a member of the fact-finding team, told reporters.
“We request the government to provide employment to one member of each family which has lost a loved one. The ex-gratia amount to be given to the affected families should be collected from the TVK party. We suggest that the affected families receive grief counselling,” she said.
“If more than 5000 people gather anywhere, a medical team must be present. Guidelines should be framed for conducting large meetings and roadshows. If there is any violation of those guidelines, then the party organising the event must take responsibility,” she added.
To understand the condition of the victims and their families, the fact-finding team visited Karur, met with the affected families, and collected detailed information, said the team.
Meanwhile in the backdrop of Karur tragedy, the Madras High Court on Monday directed the Tamil Nadu government to frame a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) within 10 days for the conduct of political meetings and rallies in the state.
A bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and NV Anjaria also ordered a three-member committee, headed by former Supreme Court Judge Justice Ajay Rastogi, to monitor the CBI probe and ensure that the investigation into the tragedy is independent and impartial. (ANI)