In a dramatic development, the Supreme Court ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to look into the Karur stampede tragedy, which occurred on September 27, 2025, and claimed the lives of 41 people, including nine children, who were attending a procession of actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader Vijay.
The top court dissolved the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which had previously been established by the Tamil Nadu government and the Madras High Court, and halted the one-man commission of investigation led by former judge Justice Aruna Jagadeesan.
A three-person Supervisory Committee, led by former Supreme Court judge Justice Ajay Rastogi, will now be in charge of the CBI inquiry. The court asked the CBI to report back to this committee monthly progress and finish the probe within the legal time limit.
Court Emphasizes on Impartiality and Accountability
A bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and NV Anjaria said that a totally independent and impartial inquiry had to be initiated to regain public trust in the judicial system.
The judges observed that the conflicting orders of the Madurai and Chennai benches of the Madras High Court created unnecessary confusion and procedural duplication. The bench queried how a single judge could turn a writ petition requesting Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for political rallies into a criminal investigation by an SIT.
It's beyond our imagination that one judge went so far in broadening the ambit of the petition," the court noted, terming the action "an act of lack of sensitivity and propriety."
Supreme Court Directions
The SIT and Aruna Jagadeesan Commission are suspended.
All materials and evidence gathered by Tamil Nadu Police, SIT, and the commission should be transferred to the CBI without delay.
Justice Ajay Rastogi will make nominations of two senior IPS officers belonging to the Tamil Nadu cadre but not native to the state to support the supervisory panel.
The pending petition regarding SOPs for political rallies before the Madras High Court (Chennai Bench) will now be transferred to a Division Bench for hearing.
Public Concerns and Political Sensitivity
The Supreme Court noted the public skepticism generated by the handling of the case by the state police and the political overtones of the tragedy. It also criticized the public denials by senior police officials that seemed to go out of their way to defend their juniors.
This kind of behavior has "raised doubts about the impartiality and independence of the investigation," as per the bench.
Background of the Tragedy
The Karur stampede took place at a TVK rally organized by actor-politician Joseph Vijay, where 41 persons lost their lives and more than 100 were injured — predominantly women and children.In Tamil Nadu, the incident sparked a heated discussion over political crowd management, police accountability, and public safety.
A significant step toward justice and openness for the victims' families, the Supreme Court's recent order will now place the probe under the supervision of the CBI and a commission that is subject to judicial oversight.
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