Among the many personal tragedies emerging from Saturday’s stampede during TVK president and actor Vijay’s rally in Karur, a farmer from Vishwanathapuri has lost his entire family.Man loses wife, two daughtersAnantha Jothi, a farmer, had gone to the rally with his wife, Hemalatha, 28, and their two daughters, Sailakhsana, 8, and Sai Jeeva, 4. According to his relative Duraisamy, Anantha Jothi suffered a leg injury but managed to escape. Only later did he learn that his wife and children had been caught in the crush and had died.7-year-old boy among victimsOne of the youngest victims was S. Kirthikyadav, 7, a Class III student from Anju Road in Karur town. He was the younger son of Saravanan, 30, a welder, and Chandrakala, 28.The boy had gone to the rally with his mother and elder brother Sanjay, who recently completed a diploma course. The family, ardent fans of Vijay, were separated in the melee. While Chandrakala and Sanjay managed to make their way out, Kirthikyadav was trapped in the crowd and died.“They now say there were 500 police personnel, but I could not see even 50 at the venue,” Sanjay said angrily, questioning the lack of security.Friends bereavedAnother victim was K. Srinath, 15, a Class XI student from a private school in Mettur, Salem district. A resident of Indira Nagar, Puthukkalampalli, Veerakanputhur, and Srinath had gone alone to the rally.Outside the mortuary, a group of his classmates stood in tears. Having parked their bicycles nearby, they recalled how they used to play him regularly. Out of grief and friendship, they waited in silence until they could pay their last respects.Published - September 28, 2025 05:20 pm IST