Madras HC forms SIT, denies pre-arrest bail to TVK leaders

The Madras High Court on Friday formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the September 27 stampede at the political rally of actor and TVK founder Vijay, on a day when two senior party leaders' anticipatory bail petitions were rejected by the HC which also found fault with the party and the police over the incident that killed 41 persons and injured over 60.

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The principal bench of the HC here also dismissed a BJP leader's plea seeking a CBI probe into the incident, and directed her to approach the Madurai bench.

Chief Minister M K Stalin and the ruling DMK trained their guns against the BJP and Vijay, respectively. While Stalin accused BJP of trying to gain political mileage over the deadly incident, his party DMK slammed Vijay for his alleged “arrogance, hunger for money, publicity mania and the desire for chair.”

It said his challenge to the state government to arrest him for the stampede was aimed at diverting attention away from the deaths of as many as 41 persons.

The HC formed the SIT under senior IPS officer and Inspector General, North Zone, Asra Garg, to probe the matter. It also criticised the TVK organisers of the event, the party leadership and the police over the stampede, which killed children, among others.