SC orders CBI probe into Karur stampede

The Supreme Court on Monday ordered a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the stampede in Tamil Nadu’s Karur on September 27, when 4l people died during a rally by actor Vijay's political party Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), saying that the tragedy shook “public conscience”.

- Ayesha Arvind

Reacting to the order, the ruling DMK said the top court order could be cancelled if it is proved that the petitions are fraudulently filed.

Noting the “political undertones” of the case and public statements made by senior Tamil Nadu police officers defending their subordinates soon after the incident, a bench of justices JK Maheshwari and NV Anjaria said such conduct had eroded public trust and underscored the need for an “impartial, independent and unbiased” inquiry to restore faith in criminal justice system.

The bench also set up a three-member committee, headed by former Supreme Court judge justice Ajay Rastogi, along with two IPS officers from the Tamil Nadu cadre who are not from the state, to oversee the CBI probe.