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35-year-old Maharashtra native collapses during campaign event
February 13, 2026: A 35-year-old man from Maharashtra died after suffering a seizure during a Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) campaign rally led by Vijay in Salem ahead of the Assembly elections. The victim, identified as Suraj, worked at a silver shop in Salem and had attended the meeting held at Seelanayakkanpatti, which drew thousands of supporters. He reportedly fainted during the event and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead. Suraj is survived by his wife and two children.
The rally witnessed a turnout exceeding the government’s guideline limit of 5,000 attendees, with supporters gathering from early morning to hear Vijay’s address. Reports indicate that seating arrangements were insufficient for the crowd. The incident has once again put the spotlight on crowd management at large-scale political events organised by the party.
The development comes months after a stampede at a TVK rally in Karur last year resulted in 41 deaths, prompting Vijay to briefly pause public meetings and introduce enhanced safety measures. As election campaigning intensifies across Tamil Nadu, the Salem incident has sparked fresh concerns over ensuring strict safety protocols at mass gatherings.