Vijay rally in Karur sees stampede-like crowd, toll unclear

A crowded election rally led by actor-turned-politician Vijay in Karur, Tamil Nadu, on Saturday night turned chaotic after severe overcrowding created a stampede-like situation that left multiple people dead or unconscious and dozens injured, authorities and local reports said. The precise toll remained unclear late on Saturday, with official accounts and media reports varying widely; some reports put the number of feared dead at five, while others said at least 10, 20 or more than 30 people had died, and scores were being treated at nearby hospitals.

The incident occurred as Vijay addressed a large nighttime campaign gathering for his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam party. Visuals circulated online showed thousands packed tightly along both sides of a road as the candidate's campaign vehicle moved slowly through the crowd. Witnesses and officials said the crowd swelled and became uncontrollable, causing many attendees to faint from suffocation and pressure. Several ambulances entered the site as medical teams and party workers distributed water and provided first aid.

Video and eyewitness accounts said Vijay briefly halted his speech, handed out water and appealed for calm and for...