New Delhi, January 19, 2026 — The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday sharply questioned actor-turned-politician and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay over his role in the Karur stampede case, raising serious concerns about crowd control, delayed arrival, and the movement of his campaign vehicle through a dense gathering.
Vijay appeared before CBI officials for questioning in connection with the tragic incident that claimed 41 lives during a political campaign rally in Karur district in September 2025.
“Didn’t You See the Crowd?”: Sharp Questions from CBI
According to sources familiar with the interrogation, CBI officials confronted Vijay with a series of pointed questions, including:
- “Didn’t you see the massive crowd when you threw water bottles in Karur?”
- “As a famous actor and political leader, don’t you know how large a crowd your presence attracts?”
- “When the crowd was out of control, why didn’t you stop your vehicle and halt the campaign?”
Investigators reportedly referred to video evidence showing Vijay’s modified campaign vehicle continuing to move forward amidst a tightly packed crowd, despite visible congestion and panic.
Movement of Campaign Vehicle Under Scanner
One of the key areas of questioning was the movement of Vijay’s campaign vehicle through the dense gathering.
CBI officials asked:
- Why the vehicle was allowed to proceed despite the swelling crowd
- Whether stopping the vehicle could have prevented the crush
- If adequate coordination existed between party workers and local police
The agency is examining whether the continued movement of the caravan aggravated the stampede situation.
Focus on 7-Hour Delay in Arrival
Another major issue under investigation is the 7-hour delay in Vijay’s arrival at the Karur rally.
CBI officials questioned:
- The exact reason for the prolonged delay
- Whether traffic diversions or road bends caused the late arrival
- Why documentary evidence explaining the delay has not been submitted earlier
Sources said the CBI has directed Vijay’s team to submit concrete evidence by today to justify the delay, if road conditions or route diversions were responsible.
Accountability and Prior Risk Assessment
Investigators also probed whether any prior risk assessment was conducted before the rally and whether Vijay’s team anticipated the crowd surge.
Key questions included:
- Who assessed the expected crowd size?
- Were entry and exit routes properly planned?
- Were emergency response measures in place?
The agency is attempting to fix accountability at multiple levels — political leadership, party organisers, and district authorities.
Ongoing CBI Probe
The CBI took over the Karur stampede investigation from the Tamil Nadu Police in October 2025 following a Supreme Court आदेश. Since then, the agency has examined:
- Event permissions and planning documents
- Coordination between TVK workers and police
- Timeline of events before and after the stampede
This is Vijay’s second round of detailed questioning in the case.