At least 31 people were killed, including six children, in a devastating stampede that erupted at a major political rally hosted by popular actor-politician Thalapathy Vijay, the head of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), in the Karur district of Tamil Nadu late this evening.

The official casualty count was confirmed by Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian, who noted that there is concern the toll could still rise. The deceased have been identified as 16 women, nine men, and six children.

Minister Subramanian reported that 29 individuals were pronounced dead upon arrival at local hospitals, while more than 45 persons are currently receiving medical treatment for injuries sustained in the crush. Doctors and forensic experts from neighbouring facilities have since been deployed to the Karur general hospital to aid in the extensive response effort.

The tragic incident took place at Velusamypuram, situated on the busy Karur–Erode highway. Thousands had gathered for the TVK's high-profile "Let There Be Light" campaign.

The scale of the assembly appeared to overwhelm the site's capacity. According to Tamil Nadu police sources, the rally's turnout vastly exceeded expectations; while permission had been granted for approximately 30,000 participants, local reports suggested nearly 60,000 people had assembled, creating an extremely volatile environment.

Eyewitness accounts place the start of the disaster around 7:45 pm local time. Trouble reportedly began when large sections of the densely packed crowd surged aggressively towards the barricades near the bus from which Mr. Vijay was addressing the gathering, desperate to catch a closer glimpse of the actor.

As the crowd surged and a stampede-like situation developed, many attendees, including several party workers and children, fainted and became severely distressed. Chief Minister MK Stalin later commented that numerous people suddenly became ill due to the crush.

Party workers on the ground quickly noticed the unfolding crisis and raised an alarm. In an immediate, desperate attempt to assist, Mr. Vijay, who was atop the bus, was seen throwing water bottles to the distressed crowd below. Due to the clear gravity of the situation and the difficulty facing emergency responders, the actor ended his speech prematurely.

Ambulances faced significant difficulty navigating the heavily-crowded thoroughfare to transport the injured to hospitals, slowing the medical response time.

The national leadership reacted with sorrow to the news of the mass casualty event.

Indian President Droupadi Murmu expressed her grief on social media platform X, stating she was "Anguished to know about the tragic loss of lives in a stampede-like unfortunate incident in Karur district of Tamil Nadu. I extend my deepest condolences to the bereaved family members and pray for early recovery of those injured."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi echoed the sentiment, terming the incident "deeply saddening." He wrote: "My thoughts are with the families who have lost their loved ones. Wishing strength to them in this difficult time. Praying for a swift recovery to all those injured."