Bomb Threat at TVK Chief Vijay’s Chennai Home Amid Rising Karur Rally Death Toll

Chennai Police received an anonymous call on Sunday claiming a bomb had been planted at the Neelankarai residence of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief and actor C Joseph Vijay, located on East Coast Road.

Police immediately dispatched a bomb disposal squad to the site, where thorough searches are underway inside and around the property. Heavy security has been deployed to secure the area.

The bomb threat coincided with growing concerns over a tragic stampede at a TVK campaign rally in Karur, where the death toll climbed to 41 on Sunday.

Among the victims was 65-year-old Suguna from Karur district, who passed away while on ventilator support. Authorities reported that the deceased included 18 women, 13 men, five young girls, and five young boys, with 34 victims from Karur, two each from Erode, Tiruppur, and Dindigul, and one from Salem.

The disaster unfolded on Saturday evening when an overcrowded TVK rally in Karur descended into chaos, triggering a deadly stampede. Several attendees collapsed and were rushed to nearby hospitals. Preliminary reports suggest that inadequate crowd management contributed to the tragedy.

In response, Vijay announced financial aid of Rs 20 lakh for each deceased victim’s family and Rs 2 lakh for those injured.

On Sunday, the Madras High Court held an urgent hearing at 4:30 pm to address a petition seeking to ban TVK from organising public rallies, meetings, or gatherings until the Karur incident is fully investigated. Justice N Senthilkumar heard arguments that further unchecked political events could risk more lives.

The Tamil Nadu government has launched a high-level inquiry, with senior officials and police probing lapses in crowd control measures. Prominent leaders, including Chief Minister MK Stalin, opposition leader Edappadi K Palaniswami, and Union leaders, expressed condolences and called for stricter safety protocols.

Notably, Vijay has filed a petition with the Madras High Court, requesting a CBI or SIT investigation into the Karur stampede to ensure a transparent probe.