The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has called for another round of questioning on Tuesday as part of its probe into the deadly stampede at a political rally in Karur. Officials said the agency was seeking further clarification after reviewing material collected during the ongoing investigation.
The summons is the latest development in the investigation into the September 27, 2025, incident in Karuru that left dozens dead and sparked nationwide scrutiny of crowd management at political events.
Fresh CBI summons for Karur stampede probe
According to officials, the CBI has issued a fresh notice seeking Vijay, who heads the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam political party, to appear before investigators for further questioning.
The actor was previously questioned at the agency’s headquarters on January 12 and January 19 as part of the investigation.
Investigators said the agency has since gathered additional material during its investigation, prompting the need for further clarification from the political leader on the events surrounding the rally.
Vijay rally stampede leaves 41 dead
The investigation relates to a stampede that occurred during Vijay’s rally in Karur on 27 September 2025. The tragedy left 41 dead and more than 60 injured, making it one of the worst crowd disasters associated with a political rally in recent years.
The case was initially under the jurisdiction of the Special Investigation Team before it was handed over to the CBI.
The handover followed directions from the Supreme Court of India, which ordered a central agency to take over the investigation amid concerns over the scale and impact of the incident.
The Supreme Court ordered a CBI probe
In October last year, the Supreme Court directed the CBI director to appoint a senior officer to lead the investigation. The court also set up a monitoring committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Ajay Rastogi to oversee the probe.
A bench comprising Justices JK Maheshwari and NV Anjaria underlined the gravity of the tragedy and the wider public implications.
The court observed: “In the criminal justice system, the faith and confidence of the general public in the investigative process must be restored and one way to instill such confidence is to ensure that the investigation in this case is completely impartial, independent and unbiased.”
The bench also noted the deep national impact of the incident and said the stampede had left a lasting impression across the country.
The probe continues with rally management and safety lapses
Investigators are examining evidence related to the organization of the Karur rally, crowd control measures and the sequence of events that led to the deadly stampede.
Officials say the investigation is trying to determine whether any failures in planning or safety measures contributed to the disaster.
With Vijay now being summoned again for questioning, the agency is expected to focus on clarifying details related to the organization of the rally and the circumstances surrounding the incident as the probe moves forward.
