The man, identified as Suraj, a native of Maharashtra and residing in Salem, collapsed after complaining of chest pain. According to the police, he had gone to see Vijay.
Key Points
- A 37-year-old man, Suraj, collapsed after complaining of chest pain at a TVK rally in Salem and was declared brought dead at hospital.
- Police said he had previously undergone angioplasty.
- Police stated the incident occurred before party chief Vijay arrived at the venue.
- TVK leaders termed the death 'heartbreaking', and expressed condolences, maintaining he died of a heart attack.
A 37-year-old man fainted at a Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam rally in Salem on Friday addressed by party chief Vijay and died on the way to hospital, police said.
The man, identified as Suraj, a native of Maharashtra and residing in Salem, collapsed after complaining of chest pain, and was immediately rushed to a local hospital.
"He was declared brought dead at the medical facility," a police official said. He also claimed that Suraj had undergone angioplasty sometime ago.
The police have registered a case and are investigating.
According to the police, the man had gone to see Vijay.
He complained of uneasiness while waiting at the rally venue and fainted.
Those near him initially attempted to revive Suraj, but later rushed him in an ambulance to a private hospital.
However, the doctors who examined him said he was brought dead.
Police claimed that the incident happened even before Vijay arrived for the district functionaries' meeting.
Preliminary enquiry by a team from the Annadhanapatti police who arrived at the hospital revealed that Suraj was a heart patient and underwent a procedure.
This is the first casualty at the TVK rally since the tragic September 27, 2025, stampede in Karur that claimed 41 lives.
Describing the demise as 'heartbreaking', TVK joint general secretary C T R Nirmal, said Suraj had come to witness the TVK rally and fainted due to ill health.
He was immediately given first aid by the party members and was rushed to a hospital without losing time.
'However, he died due to a heart attack. It is heartbreaking. We express our deepest condolences for the untimely death of Suraj,' Kumar said in a post on X.
Bharatiya Janata Party senior and former Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan flayed the TVK for the 'poor arrangements' at the event and said the party should have provided water to its members.
"It's very unfortunate that a person dies at a political rally. And the state government should also take concrete measures to provide protection, drinking water and adequate medical help to the people attending such events," she said.
Speaking to reporters in Chennai, she said such tragic deaths should never happen.
Flaying the TVK for the incident, BJP youth wing leader Vinoj P Selvam said it only proved the concern that the party leader had for the safety of his cadres.
'It would not have mattered if it happened inadvertently for the first time. But the mistake is recurring,' he said in a post on the social media platform X.
DMK spokesperson A Saravanan on 'X' wondered how many more lives would be lost before the Assembly elections are held.
He claimed that no arrangements were made by the TVK to provide shelter or drinking water at the rally.
A source in the TVK said the party had already appealed to its cadres and also members of the public who are sick to refrain from attending the meeting.
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