Chennai, Oct 1 (NationPress) In a strongly worded editorial released on Wednesday, the DMK’s publication 'Murasoli' has placed the blame squarely on actor and TVK founder Vijay for the tragic stampede that occurred in Karur on September 27, leading to the loss of 41 lives.

The editorial criticized Vijay for his “irresponsibility” in not arriving on time, suggesting that the chaos was exacerbated by what they termed a deliberate political performance.

“Who stopped him from arriving promptly? Who hindered him from comforting the mourning families? Was this a calculated move to keep the crowd in suspense and prevent them from leaving?” the editorial questioned, asserting that the tragedy could have been avoided with basic crowd management and timely intervention.

Refuting claims that a power outage triggered the panic, Murasoli referenced the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation (TNPDCL) chief engineer Rajalakshmi, who clarified that electricity was only briefly turned off to remove individuals who had climbed a transformer, and was restored before Vijay’s arrival.

“These rumors are spread to deflect responsibility,” the editorial charged.

The publication also rejected the assertion of insufficient police presence, noting that while permission was granted for 10,000 attendees, approximately 25,000 showed up, with about 500 police personnel deployed, which they described as “a more generous ratio than usual.”

Murasoli reminded readers that Vijay had previously expressed gratitude to the police for their security efforts before he began his speech. However, the actor's late arrival—speculated to be at 7:10 p.m., a full eight hours after supporters began gathering—was met with significant backlash.

The editorial pointed out that Vijay's delayed convoy from Tiruchi to Karur, his disregard for police advice to stop outside the overcrowded venue, and the decision to block exits exacerbated the crisis. The lack of drinking water and the exhaustion of attendees waiting for hours, combined with new supporters from other districts trailing the convoy, were cited as contributing factors to the chaos.

Most victims hailed from Karur, Dindigul, Erode, Salem, and Tiruppur. “It was not the DMK that delayed him. It was not the DMK that prevented him from comforting the grieving. To now shift the blame after creating the conditions for the stampede is as cruel as the loss of lives themselves,” the editorial concluded, adding: “A body shroud cannot conceal the truth.”