The September 27 tragedy that claimed the lives of at least 40 people, more women and children than men, in Karur, Tamil Nadu, bore the hallmarks of everything that could go wrong at a political rally — poor timing, an overwhelming crowd, violation of crowd control protocols, neglect of caution and warnings, failure of management and organisation, and a complete lack of preparedness. The toll is likely to rise. Popular Tamil actor Vijay, who was campaigning for his party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), has drawn large crowds to his meetings. Political and religious congregations, as well as entertainment events, are often prone to stampedes, and the Karur tragedy was a textbook case.

The meeting venue was too small to accommodate the large number of people who came to attend it. Over 25,0

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