Karur stampede: SIT formed, rallies halted; what Madras HC said on CBI probe demand

NEW DELHI: The Madras high court on Friday said that a Special Investigation Team ( SIT ) had been formed to investigate the Karur stampede that killed 41 on September 27. It prohibited political rallies along state and national highways in Tamil Nadu until Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were put in place.

It pulled up the Tamil Nadu Police questioning its response to the stampede, noting that only two people had been arrested so far.

"You have permitted everything to happen. The police cannot turn a blind eye," Justice Senthilkumar said, stressing that law enforcement agencies must act proactively in such situations.

The court also dismissed a plea by Bharatiya Janata Party leader Uma Anandan seeking a CBI probe into the Vijay rally stampede.

Moreover, it dismissed the anticipatory bail petitions filed by TVK state general secretary Bussy N Anand and deputy general secretary CTR Nirmal Kumar, both of whom are named in the FIR related to the incident.

Key orders by HC:

• The court temporarily barred political parties from conducting public meetings or events on state and national highways in Tamil Nadu until Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were finalized. The state government assured the court that no such gatherings would be permitted outside designated areas until the SOPs were in place.
• It rejected BJP leader's plea for CBI probe, asking her to approach Madurai bench of HC.
• A Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by TN north zone IG Asra Garg IPS and comprising Namakkal SP has been constituted to probe the incident. The police has been directed to hand over all the related documents to SIT immediately.
• It rejected the anticipatory bail pleas moved by two functionaries of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party apprehending arrest. The pleas were moved by TVK general secretary N Anand Bussy Anand and joint secretary CTR Nirmal Kumar. The TVK leaders, along with a local party functionary who has already been arrested, have been charged under Sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 125 (endangering life of others), and 223 (disobedience to order) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
• It termed the tweet posted and later deleted by TVK leader Aadhav Arjuna calling their cadres to raise up to a revolution like the one happened in Nepal as 'inflammatory and seditious.' It directed police to take appropriate action based on the FIR filed against him.