TN stampede shows evidence of 'security lapse' at TVK meeting, claims AIADMK gen secy

Karur (Tamil Nadu), Sep 28 (PTI) Former Chief Minister and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Sunday claimed that the stampede at the TVK's political rally here on September 27, showed evidence of security lapse on the part of the police and administration.

Such a "shocking tragedy" which claimed 39 innocent lives besides hospitalising 51 people could have been averted had the police and state government taken sufficient precautionary measures, he said.

"There is evidence of a security lapse at Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam meeting, based on media reports. There was confusion and stampede due to power disruption. TVK should have taken precautionary measures focussing on safety and security of its party workers as it had held four meetings so far," Palaniswami told reporters here.

The police should have reviewed and strengthened the security arrangements based on the crowd that attended the TVK meetings in the past and depending on the prevailing situation at Karur meeting. Even the government and TVK leadership should have bestowed thought on the security arrangements, he said.

The AIADMK leader who earlier visited the Karur GH and inquired with the recuperating patients and interacted with the doctors treating the patients, said a political leader should keenly observe the crowd and rectify the lapses and be prepared for the meeting.

"The public attend such meetings due to their faith on the party, government and police. The loss of so many precious lives could have been avoided. I am not blaming anyone. We lost so many lives. Such a tragedy has not occurred anywhere. This is shocking," Palaniswami said and emphasised that such a tragedy never occurred at the meetings of other political parties in the state.

He alleged that the previous AIADMK government under him took sufficient precaution when political meetings were held but now the police were not giving total protection. They followed two different yardsticks, providing enhanced security for the ruling DMK. The police should remain neutral, he added.

To a question he replied that it was the duty of Chief Minister M K Stalin to announce relief to the victims and also visit them at the GH. The government and police should have handled the situation efficiently and averted the tragedy, he stressed.

"No where the police have been involved in efforts to defuse the stampede and in providing security. This government is partial," the former Chief Minister alleged and added that the opposition parties had to approach the courts for permission to organise meetings.

The state government should devote attention to safety of the people, he said and recalled the tragedy at the Marina air show and said so many lives would not have been lost had the government taken appropriate precautionary measures in the past too.

Vijay's remark at the rally as to why the ambulances were carrying his party's flags raised doubts, he said.

Palaniswami declined to accept the police version of the incident that the gathering exceeded the anticipated numbers and hence became unmanageable to control, and shot back "does not the police know how many attended the earlier four meetings of Vijay and did not the TVK party inform them of the numbers? Should not the police take appropriate precautionary measures?" It was better not to politicise this incident in view of the magnitude of the tragedy, he emphasised and advised that steps should be taken to ensure such shocking incidents don't occur in the future. PTI JSP JSP ROH