Around 41 people were killed last month in a stampede that took place at actor Vijay`s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) rally in Karur. Following the incident, the actor-turned-politician had given compensation worth Rs 20 Lakh to the families of the deceased. Now, a woman of one of the victims who died has returned the compensation. Her move comes after the party chief met the families of the victims at a private hall near Mahabalipuram on Monday.
Victim`s wife returns Rs 20 crore compensation
The woman identified as Shankavi Perumal reportedly claimed that she was upset as Vijay did not visit her in Karur to offer his condolences, and insteadinvited the families to a private resort in Mamallapuram to share his grief.
Shankavi`s husband hailed from Kodangipatti, and had lost his life during the tragic stampede. She claimed that she had received the money in her account a week ago. She has returned the amount through Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) to the bank account from which she had received Rs 20 lakh. She even presented a letter as requested by the bank officials, authorising them to transfer the money. The transaction took place when Vijay was allegedly meeting the bereaved family members of the stampede victims in Mamallapuram on Monday, October 27, 2025..
She stated, “I expected Mr Vijay would visit Karur to offer his condolences to me and other affected persons. Without my knowledge, some TVK members convinced a few members of my husband’s family and took them to Mamallapuram to meet him. He should have visited Karur. It is disappointing. Hence, I have returned the money.”
Vijay meets families of the Karur stampede victims
Notably, a month after the tragic stampede during actor and TVK president Vijay`s rally in Karur, the actor-turned politician met the families around 33 of the 41 people who were killed. Vijay also reportedly met a few of those who sustained injuries. It was reportedly a closed-door meeting organised at a private hall near Mahabalipuram on Monday.
Some of the families told TNIE that Vijay apologised for not being able to visit them in Karur earlier, citing lack of permission from the government and the unavailability of a suitable private venue there. More than 160 relatives of the victims travelled from Karur to Chennai on Sunday evening to meet teh TVK chief.
The meeting started at around 9 AM and lasted till 6.30 PM, wherein many families broke down as they shared their grief. Party sources reveal that Vijay met each family for nearly 20 minutes individually, wherein he heard them and offered words of comfort.
