Karur stampede: Former T.N. Minister Senthilbalaji to appear before CBI on March 17

Former T.N. Minister Senthilbalaji to testify before CBI on March 17 regarding the deadly Karur stampede investigation.

Former Minister and Karur MLA V. Senthilbalaji on Tuesday (March 10, 2026) said that he would appear before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on March 17 in connection with investigation into the Karur stampede that claimed 41 lives on September 27, 2025.

In a post on X, Mr. Senthilbalaji said that the CBI had summoned him to appear before it on March 17. He said he would appear before the agency to offer clarifications.

Mr. Senthilbalaji was reportedly summoned by the CBI for questioning on Monday (March 9), but the notice had not been received by anyone at his office or residence. The CBI then sent the summons to him on his official email address. Following this, the agency is said to have served a fresh summons to appear before it for questioning.

The agency re-registered the case on October 13, 2025, following an order of the Supreme Court. Stating that the incident had “shaken the national conscience”, the Court directed the CBI to investigate the stampede that occurred during a rally addressed by Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) founder Vijay at Velusamypuram on the Karur-Erode road.

The Court also constituted a three-member monitoring committee, chaired by former Supreme Court judge Justice Ajay Rastogi, to supervise the progress of the CBI investigation.