The Madras High Court has rejected a request from BJP leader Uma Anandan for a CBI investigation into the stampede that happened during a rally led by actor-turned-politician Vijay on September 27. The court also denied anticipatory bail for Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) district secretary N Sathish Kumar. The bench criticized the party for its inability to manage the crowd and highlighted the unruly behavior of supporters, which resulted in damage to public property. In total, nine FIRs have been lodged against party members in connection with the incident that resulted in 41 fatalities.
Anandan argued for a central investigation, pointing out deficiencies in the current probe and alleging negligence, but the court suggested she take her concerns to the Madurai bench, which has jurisdiction over the matter. In a related statement, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin criticized both the BJP and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for only visiting Karur after the disaster, asserting that previous tragedies in Tamil Nadu were overlooked. Stalin alleged that the BJP had political motives in the lead-up to elections and condemned the AIADMK for endorsing such behavior. Meanwhile, BJP MP Anurag Thakur called on Stalin to take responsibility and provide a comprehensive report on the stampede without delay.