KARUR: Saturday's deadly stampede at the TVK rally in Tamil Nadu, which left 40 people dead, was a tragedy in the making from the word go. To start with, it was the timing. TVK president Vijay was supposed to arrive at the rally between noon and 1pm. But by the time he reached the spot, it was 7pm. As a result, the crowd had swelled, way beyond the venue at Velusamypuram could hold. Fans and cadres had assembled at the venue from 11am, transforming the place into a carnival as songs were played. Since it was a weekend, women too visited the spot with children. As the evening approached, scores of workers from textile, mosquito net making units and others who had completed their shifts started gathering at the spot. "Saturday is payday for the workers. So attendance in the units woul

See Full Page