Karur stampede: SC to pronounce order on Monday on petitions seeking independent probe

The Supreme Court will on Monday pronounce its verdict on petitions seeking an independent probe into a stampede at Velusamypuram in Karur district of Tamil Nadu which claimed 41 lives on September 27 during a rally of actor and TVK leader Vijay.

A Bench of Justice JK Maheshwari and Justice NV Anjaria will pronounce the verdict on October 13.

While reserving its verdict on appeals by TVK and others challenging the Madras High Court’s October 3 order for an SIT probe, the Bench had expressed surprise over the manner in which it proceeded with the matter.

It had raised questions over the Madras High Court passing ‘conflicting’ orders — one declining plea for CBI probe passed by Madurai Bench and the other directing an SIR probe passed by the Principal Bench.

“We are unable to understand how this order was passed? How did the single bench in the Chennai Bench proceed with the matter when the division bench in Madurai was considering the matter?” the Bench had asked.

A total of 41 people died in the stampede, with police noting that the rally saw a turnout of 27,000, nearly three times the expected 10,000 participants.

The high court had also dismissed the BJP leader’s plea seeking a CBI probe into the incident and directed her to approach the Madurai Bench. It had formed the SIT under senior IPS officer and Inspector General, North Zone, Asra Garg and pulled up the organisers of the event, the TVK leadership and the police over the stampede.