Chennai, Sep 28 (NationPress) The Madras High Court has officially cancelled its urgent session, which was set for 4:30 p.m. on a petition regarding the tragic stampede that occurred at actor-turned-politician Vijay's Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) rally in Karur, Tamil Nadu.

A vacation bench led by Justice N. Senthilkumar had previously agreed to review a petition submitted by N. Senthilkannan from Karur district.

However, after reviewing the documentation, the court determined that the request was not a new case but rather an impleading petition in an existing case related to police permissions for TVK's public gatherings, leading to the cancellation of the urgent hearing.

In the meantime, authorities reported that the death toll from this heart-wrenching incident has risen to 40.

The stampede took place late Saturday at Velusamypuram, where a massive crowd had assembled to hear Vijay speak as part of his statewide political campaign.

The situation escalated into chaos as the event concluded, resulting in panic and a rush to exit.

Among the deceased, nine were children, with numerous others hospitalized, some in critical condition.

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin quickly arrived in Karur during the early hours and visited the Government Medical College Hospital to extend his support to survivors and the mourning families.

Describing the magnitude of the tragedy as "unprecedented and heartbreaking," he announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for each affected family and Rs 1 lakh for the injured.

Stalin reassured that an inquiry led by a retired High Court judge would provide clarity on the circumstances and help prevent future tragedies of this nature.

AIADMK General Secretary and Leader of Opposition Edappadi K. Palaniswami, who also visited Karur, criticized the state government and police for neglecting safety protocols.

"This was an avoidable tragedy. There were clear deficiencies in crowd management and basic amenities, despite prior knowledge of the significant turnout," he asserted, demanding accountability and stricter regulations for political gatherings.

Vijay, who departed Karur shortly after the incident, shared his profound sorrow via social media, labeling the event as "an irreparable loss" and stating, "no words can comfort the families." He pledged Rs 20 lakh each to the families of the deceased and Rs 2 lakh to the injured, asserting it was "his duty as one who belongs to you."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed his condolences, announcing Rs 2 lakh compensation from the PM’s National Relief Fund for each victim's family and Rs 50,000 for the injured. The state has initiated a comprehensive inquiry into the stampede, which has sparked discussions about crowd safety and the management of political events across Tamil Nadu.