Swift Intervention Averts Crowd Disaster at Puducherry Rally
The event marked actor and TVK chief Vijay’s first public appearance since the September tragedy, drawing thousands of supporters. The venue was at full capacity, yet TVK general secretary Bussy Anand announced there was still space for more attendees.
In a split-second response, IPS Isha Singh mounted the stage and firmly seized the microphone from Anand, addressing the organizers and audience. She explicitly referenced the Karur incident, stating, “Remember Karur—40 lives lost because we let the crowd swell unchecked,” and enforced immediate restrictions on further entries to prioritize safety.
The Puducherry episode unfolded against the backdrop of the September 27, 2025, Karur stampede, where over 50,000 supporters gathered for Vijay’s delayed rally, leading to a fatal crowd crush that killed 41 people, including nine children, and injured more than 100. Singh’s actions not only underscored evolving protocols, such as AI-monitored crowd limits and pre-event audits, honoring the victims by preventing the repetition of history.
