Chennai, July 10 (IANS) DMK spokesperson T.K.S. Elangovan on Friday claimed that scores of people who had attended Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, C. Joseph Vijay’s, rally in Karur last year had fainted while waiting for the TVK chief under the scorching sun, while emphasising that the stampede was not caused due to police lapses.

Further, the DMK leader said that it was due to the swift action of the government led by then Chief Minister MK Stalin, that a majority of the people could be saved.

The reaction comes after Chief Minister Vijay handed over compassionate appointment orders to the members of families who lost their loved ones in the Karur stampede, describing the tragedy as an “unhealed wound” that continues to weigh heavily on his heart.

Speaking to IANS, Elangovan said: “There was police protection, and people were made to stand in a crowd for 10 hours without water, under the scorching sun. Vijay was slated to address the gathering at 12 p.m.. He did not come there by noon. Because of him, people were made to wait in the scorching sun without water and food, and they fainted.”

“About a hundred people fainted, and they were taken to hospitals. The DMK government-our leader (MK Stalin), when he was Chief Minister, found that there were not sufficient doctors in the Karur hospital. He sent doctors from other government hospitals to that spot, and they could save 60 people,” he alleged.

He added that the remaining 41 people could not be saved “maybe because of the delay, or because ambulances were not even allowed inside due to the crowd of Vijay’s fans. That may have been the reason they could not take the people to the hospital on time”.

Further, the DMK leader said: “Out of 100, as many as 60 people could be saved due to the swift action of the DMK government. These 100 people fainted only because they were made to stand in the sun for 10 hours without any water or food.”

“That was the only reason. There was no calamity, no pushing,” Elangovan reiterated.

“Nobody was there to give water even to those who fainted. It was a natural cause. What could the police have done in this? Are they doctors to give medicines and save them?” he said.

–IANS

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