Dozens were killed and others injured on Sunday after a stampede-like situation during a rally. Actor-politician Vijay had paused his rally mid-way after workers raised the alarm — realising that several people were fainting and falling down. The actor-politician continued his address while those who had fainted were rushed to the hospital. His speech came to an abrupt end only after the abnormal stampede-like situation unfolded within the massive crowd.

What led to the stampede?

Several factors likely contibuted to the devastating stampede — starting with the massive turnout for the event. According to reports the crowd had swelled to an estimated 60,000 people during the Karur rally. The number was double the permitted limit of 30,000 and quickly overwhelmed the existing crowd control measures. A notice shared by the party ahead of the rally indicated that they had only expected around 10,000 people to attend.

Many including children had been waiting for hours to see the actor and fainted during the event. Vijay had briefly paused the rally to request passage for an ambulance and threw water bottles from atop his campaign vehicle to help people. He also announced that a child had gone missing amid the chaos and urged police to come forward and help. Videos from the venue showed the actor-politician standing on the stage visibly concerned as he called the name of the child and pleaded with those gathered before him to help.

But the rally had eventually continued — even as some of its attendees headed to the hospital. Matters took a rapid turn for the worse as the crowd suddenly surged. According to a PTI update, Vijay had abruptly ended his speech as a section of the crowd descended into chaos.

“The unfortunate incident during a political rally in Karur, Tamil Nadu, is deeply saddening. 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,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X.

This story is being updated with additional details.