Stampede at Vijay rally in Tamil Nadu leaves at least 36 dead

At least 36 people, including eight children and 16 women, were killed on Saturday after a stampede broke out at a political rally in Karur district in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said, and state officials said more than 40 people were injured and hospitalized. The rally was being held by actor-turned-politician Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar, known publicly as Vijay, who was addressing a crowd from atop a makeshift stage on a vehicle when the crowd surge began.

Officials gave differing early counts as emergency crews worked through the night. Health Minister Ma Subramanian initially reported a lower death toll, and a state lawmaker later cited 31 fatalities and dozens of people taken to hospitals. Stalin said authorities had rushed ministers and district officials to Karur, ordered all local hospitals to provide the best possible care and announced financial assistance of 1 million rupees for families of the deceased and 100,000 rupees for those injured. He also said a commission of inquiry headed by retired High Court judge Aruna Jagadeesan would investigate the incident.

Witnesses and officials said thousands of people had gathered in the Veluchamy Puram area to hear...