The crowd was massive when Vijay started speaking. people were being treated at various hospitals. Minister Mahesh Anbil Poyyamozhi and former minister V Senthilbalaji visited the injured in hospital
KARUR: Children mourning the loss of their mothers, and a man breaking down on seeing his son’s body. Karur, a landlocked city that has not seen any natural or manmade disasters in recent decades, will take a long time to forget Saturday’s fiasco. Emotional scenes unfolded at the Karur govt medical college hospital in the night as family members of victims sitting by the mortuary grieved the loss of their loved ones. Many were in disbelief as their family members who were seen rejoicing and celebrating at the campaign in the evening have been turned lifeless within hours.Also read: Karur stampede: ‘Crowd panicked after Vijay sang song criticising V Senthilbalaji as 10-rupee minister’
“We all were thrown apart. Nobody could even wake up to find where our loved ones were as ten of them were lying on each of us,” Abinaya S who lost her aunt Maheshwari said showing a photo of her aunt. Families were inconsolable, especially those who lost children and women.
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S Maliga, another who lost her husband Shankar Ganesh said, “I asked him not to attend the campaign but he did. He has now left us all alone.” Meanwhile, police have blocked the entrance into the hospital, restricting entry only. Ambulances were permitted through a separate gate.
With Karur GH struggling to cater to the needs of people in treatment, and as there is a need for communicating the situation to family members of victims and health department, the health department has deputed five special medical teams including pediatricians from Trichy, Salem, and Madurai. At least 100 ambulances have been brought to Karur GH too.
With 38 dead, Karur GH has been considering special arrangements to get the postmortem done at the earliest to hand over the bodies to family members at the earliest. As news spread about the stampede and many including children were reported missing, family members were seen rushing to Karur govt hospital and private hospitals across the town.Police said they suggested Veluswamypuram location in the interest of public convenience. Citing AIADMK general secretary Edappadi Palaniswami’s rally at the same venue, police said the site was easier for them to enforce traffic diversions unlike the Light House junction sought by TVK.
