Thirty-eight have been killed and more than 100 have been injured in India, while attending a political rally for Tamil actor and politician Vijay.
“Thirty-eight people died, with more than 100 people now hospitalised,” said a senior police official in the district of Karur in Tamil Nadu, where the incident occurred on Saturday.
Children are also reported to be among the dead, according to reports.
Large crowds had gathered for the star’s campaign tour for his party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam.
“My heart is broken; I am writhing in unbearable, indescribable pain and sorrow,” Vijay wrote on X/Twitter.
“I express my deepest sympathies and condolences to the families of my dear brothers and sisters who lost their lives in Karur. I pray for a speedy recovery for those who are undergoing treatment in the hospital.”
The actor hoped to stand against the ruling DMK party and the Indian prime minister Narendra Modi’s right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in state elections to be held at the start of 2026.
Mr Modi responded to the tragedy on X/Twitter, writing: “The unfortunate incident during a political rally in Karur, Tamil Nadu, is deeply saddening.”
He added: “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.”
Earlier, Senthil Balaji, a state lawmaker, said that 58 people were admitted to the hospital after calling the incident a “stampede”.
The government announced a commission to be headed by a retired Judge, Aruna Jagadeesan, to investigate the circumstances that led to the deaths and injuries, according to Tamil Nadu’s chief minister M K Stalin.
According to the Times of India, the actor was forced to pause his speech several times after people fainted in the crowd. He was said to have personally handed out bottles of water to supporters.
Stampedes have occurred in the country in the past, with 11 fans crushed in Bengaluru this June during celebrations for a local cricket team’s Premier League win.
In January this year, a stampede at the Maha Khumbh Mela in India’s Prayagraj killed at least 30 people and injured over 60. The religious festival is held once every 12 years at the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.
In July 2024, at least 121 people were killed in the northern region of the state of Uttar Pradesh during a religious gathering of the Hindu community.
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