Karur (Tamil Nadu), Sept. 27 -- A political rally led by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay in Tamil Nadu's Karur district turned tragic on Saturday when a stampede claimed 36 lives and left 46 others injured, media reports said.

The deceased include eight children and 16 women, NDTV reported.

Police sources told NDTV that the chaos began when some attendees fainted at a crowded section of the venue, causing panic and triggering the deadly surge.

After several people were rushed to hospitals, police baton-charged crowds to drive away people. Water bottles were distributed and medical teams deployed to assist those in distress, officials said, according to India Today.

This is not the first time Vijay's rallies have sparked saf...