Karur, Tamil Nadu, Sept. 28 (Agencies) – The death toll from the stampede at actor-turned-politician Vijay’s public rally in Karur has climbed to 38, Tamil Nadu Director General of Police (DGP) G. Venkataraman confirmed on Sunday.

The victims include 12 men, 16 women, and 10 children, the DGP said during an early morning media briefing.

Authorities said the tragedy was triggered by a massive crowd surge, worsened by the actor’s delayed arrival at the venue. “Permission was sought for a meeting between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m. However, the official Twitter account of Vijay’s TVK party mentioned he would arrive by noon, prompting crowds to gather from 11 a.m. onwards. He eventually arrived at 7:40 p.m. By then, people had been waiting under the hot sun without adequate food and water,” Venkataraman explained.

He emphasized that the intention was not to place blame but to outline the facts. While organisers had initially expected 10,000 attendees, nearly 27,000 people turned up, far exceeding the anticipated crowd. Police had prepared for a gathering of around 20,000 people, he added.

Responding to queries about possible security lapses, the DGP noted that the venue was a public road, making it difficult to deploy a heavier police presence without restricting space for the crowd. “The organisers were clearly informed about crowd management responsibilities. Police are only an additional support,” he said, pointing out that a Commission of Inquiry has already been appointed to investigate the incident.

Following the tragedy, additional forces including ADGP (Law and Order) Davidson Devasirvatham, three IGPs, two DIGs, 10 SPs, and 2,000 police personnel have been dispatched to Karur.