Massive crowd, chaos preceded deadly India rally stampede | News

MUMBAI, Sept 28, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - A stampede that killed dozens at a southIndia political rally happened after a crowd of thousands waited hours inbaking heat without sufficient safeguards, officials and witnesses saidSunday. Some 27,000 people thronged a public road in Tamil Nadu state in hopes ofseeing popular actor-turned-politician Vijay on Saturday, but panic broke outand 39 were killed, authorities said. Witnesses cited hours of delays, insufficient police presence and peoplefalling from a tree branch onto the audience as contributing to the tragedy. Deadly crowd incidents happen repeatedly during mass gatherings in India,often blamed on lax safety measures. Vijay, known by one name, was addressing the rally when the crowds surgedsuddenly, forcing him to halt his speech in Karur district....