An activist of actor Vijay’s TVK Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) committed suicide on Monday, after pointing fingers at DMK MLA Senthil Balaji, accusing him of being behind the stampede at the Karur rally that killed 41 people.
TVK branch secretary at Villupuram, Ayyappan, killed himself after leaving a letter in which he expressed grief over the loss of lives in the stampede that took place in Karur.
In the letter, Ayappan accuses Senthil Balaji of being responsible. It has been reported that the police were also complicit in this. Ayappan claims in his letter that they were there wasn’t enough police protection for Vijay's visit to Karur district.
“Senthil Balaji and his people have put pressure on authorities. This tragedy happened because of the police's laxity. Therefore, Senthil Balaji should be arrested and imprisoned," he mentioned in the letter. He added that he is very pained that, despite being a TVK administration, he could do nothing to prevent the tragedy that killed so many people.
The TVK has also taken the same stance in court. According to the party, when Vijay was campaigning in Karur, the police did nothing to regulate the traffic. “They did not appoint enough policemen for security. The police created chaos at the Karur meeting,” TVK lawyer Arivazhagan told police.
“A shoe was thrown at Vijay as he spoke about Senthil Balaji at the meeting. Only after that did the stampede occur. The police's explanation for this incident is to deflect responsibility,” he added.
Three TVK activists arrested
The police have arrested TVK Karur West district secretary V P Mathyiyalagan in connection with the stampede at the party president's rally. Mathyiyalagan was among the three TVK office bearers named in the FIR , the other being TVK state general secretary Bussy Anand and party deputy general secretary Nirmal Kumar.
They have been slapped with sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 125 (endangering life of others), and 223 (disobedience to order), of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Section 3 of the Tamil Nadu Public Property (Prevention of Damage and Loss) Act, 1992, has also been levelled against them, a police official said.
