A 37-year-old man died after allegedly suffering a heart attack during Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay’s political rally held in Salem, Tamil Nadu, on Friday 13 February 2026, according to police.
Salem police officials stated that the deceased, identified as Suraj, was a native of Maharashtra who had been residing in the Sevvaipettai area of Salem for work. He was employed in silver-related labour and is survived by his wife and a child.
Police said Suraj had attended the public meeting organised for TVK party administrators as a spectator. During the event, he suddenly collapsed. He was immediately rushed for medical assistance but was declared dead. Preliminary information indicates that the cause of death was a heart attack, though further inquiries are underway, officials added.
The incident comes months after a stampede at a political rally addressed by Vijay in Karur reportedly claimed nearly 40 lives.
Addressing the Salem gathering, Vijay urged voters to support TVK and vote for the party’s “whistle” symbol in the upcoming state elections. He also told the crowd not to refuse money offered by other parties but asked them to cast their vote in favour of TVK.
In his speech, delivered in Tamil, Vijay criticised both the ruling DMK and the principal opposition AIADMK without naming them directly. He said he was not like “those who depend on allies,” and alleged that for the DMK, alliances were only for electoral victory, while governance was handled independently thereafter.
Source: Hindustan Times
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