Stampede at Indian Actor-Politician’s Rally Leaves 36 Dead, More Than 50 Injured

Tens of thousands had gathered in Tamil Nadu to see Vijay, a movie star-turned politician, when the crowd surge turned deadly.
Stampede at Indian Actor-Politician’s Rally Leaves 36 Dead, More Than 50 Injured
Rows of Indian national flags wave in the wind at Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar, India, on Aug. 15, 2025. Numan Bhat/Middle East Images via AFP
Tom Ozimek
Tom Ozimek
Reporter
|Updated:
0:00

At least 36 people, including eight children and 16 women, were killed and more than 50 others injured in a stampede on Sept. 27 at a political rally by Indian film star Vijay in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, officials said.

The crush occurred in the city of Karur, where tens of thousands of people had gathered to see the 51-year-old actor, one of Tamil cinema’s most bankable stars, who launched his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party last year and is campaigning ahead of state elections due in early 2026.

Tom Ozimek
Tom Ozimek
Reporter
Tom Ozimek is a senior reporter for The Epoch Times. He has a broad background in journalism, deposit insurance, marketing and communications, and adult education.
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