Karur stampede victim’s kin says plea for CBI probe filed without family’s knowledge: Report
Chennai: A fresh controversy has emerged in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to order a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the Karur stampede, with two bereaved families claiming that petitions seeking the investigation were filed in their names without their knowledge or consent, The News Minute reported on Monday.
The Supreme Court on October 13 directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate the Karur stampede, which took place on September 27, 2025, during a rally by actor-politician Vijay’s party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). The incident claimed 41 lives and injured nearly 60 others.
One of the petitions before the Supreme Court was filed by Aadhav Arjuna, TVK’s general secretary (election strategy), seeking to quash the Madras High Court’s order for a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the incident.
Two other petitions, demanding a CBI inquiry, were filed by P. Panneerselvam from Alamarathupatti, who lost his nine-year-old son, Prathik, and P. Selvaraj from Emur Puthur, who lost his wife S. Chandra.
However, in a surprising turn, Chandru, the maternal uncle of Prathik, denied the family's involvement in the petition. He claimed that Panneerselvam had abandoned the family when the child was just one-year-old and had not been in contact for the past eight years.
“My sister Sharmila spoke to Vijay in a video call and he paid his condolences. We did not file any petition in the Supreme Court. We came to know about Panneerselvam’s petition only after police asked about it a few days ago. We have not spoken to Panneerselvam for the past eight years, and he did not attend the funeral as well. We are still in deep grief after losing our child and have no interest in pursuing justice or legal matters”, TNM quoted Chandru as saying.
In a similar claim, Selvaraj, the other reported petitioner, told the media that he had no knowledge of filing a petition in the Supreme Court. “I don’t know the advocate at all. All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) Emur Panchayat Council leader Balakrishnan asked me to sign some papers. I signed them, but I told him not to misuse them. He said the signatures were for getting compensation and a government job for my elder son. I don’t know anything about this case,” said Selvaraj, a daily wage worker.
VCK Balakrishnan, an advocate and AIADMK functionary, admitted to assisting with the petition but denied any misconduct. “When I was the panchayat president, Selvaraj’s brother Murugesan was a ward member. He approached me seeking help to find out the real reason behind Chandra’s death. That’s why the petition was filed in Selvaraj’s name,” he explained.
“Now, due to pressure, Selvaraj is saying on social media that I deceived him with false promises of a job. But when I took his signature, his brother Murugesan was also present,” TNM quoted Balakrishnan as saying.
Meanwhile, a bench comprising Justices J.K. Maheshwari and N.V. Anjaria said the Karur stampede “has a bearing on the fundamental rights of citizens and has shaken the national conscience,” emphasising that a fair and impartial investigation is warranted.
The Court also mentioned that citizens are entitled to a thorough probe and that there cannot be any doubt about the need for an unbiased investigation.
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Will continue to keep tab on development work in Bihar: Nitish to JD(U) MLAs
Patna (PTI): JD(U) president Nitish Kumar on Monday told party legislators that he will continue to keep a tab on the development work in Bihar despite having given up the chief minister's post a week ago.
Kumar addressed a meeting of the legislative party at 1, Anney Marg, which is the official residence of the chief minister and which the JD(U) supremo, now a Rajya Sabha MP, had occupied for nearly two decades.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, JD(U) MLC and spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said, "Our party leader has said that except for sessions of Parliament, which would require his presence in Delhi, he will spend his maximum time in Bihar."
"Nitish Kumar told us that he will ensure that the good work done while he was in power continues under the new government, in which the JD(U) is an important partner. To keep a tab, he will tour the state in due course," Neeraj Kumar said.
The JD(U) spokesperson was asked about speculations that the meeting had been convened to decide on the role to be assigned to Nishant, the party supremo's son, who joined the JD(U) last month, but has declined to accept a ministerial berth in the Samrat Choudhary government.
"There is no confusion about the role of Nishant, who has been accepted by the party as the leader of the future. In any case, there was no discussion on him today," Neeraj Kumar said.
Nitish Kumar has been authorised by the legislators to decide on choosing the legislative party leader, he added.
Among those present at the meeting were Union minister and former JD(U) national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh 'Lalan' and Deputy Chief Ministers Vijay Kumar Chaudhary and Bijendra Prasad Yadav.
Interestingly, don turned politician Anant Kumar Singh, who represents Mokama assembly seat, claimed after the meeting that MLAs were asked by the supreme leader to try and win "200 seats in the next elections".
"Nitish Kumar ji told us that he will now be more easily available for party workers and general public. He also said that he will extensively tour the state and asked us to work hard so that the party wins 200 seats in the next elections", said Singh, who is often in news for putting his foot in the mouth.
The Bihar assembly is 243-strong and the JD(U)'s current tally is 85, four less than ally BJP, which is the single largest party.
The JD(U)'s best-ever performance was in 2010, when it had contested 142 seats and won 115 of these. It was also the highest tally for any single party since Bihar's truncation in 2000, until when Jharkhand was part of the state and assembly had 324 seats.
