What’s Thondar Ani? Vijay ropes in retired cops to train TVK volunteer force

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief and actor-politician Vijay has launched a new volunteers’ wing to ensure effective crowd management at the party events. The move comes in the backdrop of the deadly stampede, which killed 41 people and injured over 60 others, during a party rally in Karur on September 27.

The new wing, named as Thondar Ani, will oversee crowd movement, establish safety perimeters, and coordinate with police and medical teams during all major programmes. According to reports, the party has roped in several retired police officers to train the team.

Seven retired officers, including V.A. Ravikumar, IPS (ADGP, Retd.), P. Ashokan (ASP, Retd.), Sabibulla (Ex-DSP), Thillainayagam (DSP, Retd.), R. Sivalingam (DSP, Retd.), R. Lakshminarayanan (DSP, Retd.), and R. Mathiarasu (DSP, Retd.) have already conducted training sessions for selected TVK functionaries, according to an IANS report.

The training covered a range of areas including crowd psychology, public safety protocols, coordination with law enforcement, and emergency-response measures, the report claimed.

“Vijay wants the party to be known for its discipline, organisation, and preparedness. Thondar Ani will ensure that our events remain safe for the public while maintaining order and efficiency,” a party leader told the news agency.

The stampede in Karur occurred after the crowd swelled beyond expectation and surged uncontrollably upon the actor's arrival. The case is being investigated by the CBI following a directive of the Supreme Court.

The TVK leadership was under fire for “gross mismanagement” and “poor crowd control” after the stampede, which reportedly prompted it to form a special force of trained cadres, similar to those maintained by other mainstream parties, such as the DMK and the AIADMK.