The Cyber Crime Wing of the Greater Chennai City Police on Tuesday arrested YouTuber Felix Gerald from his residence in Nungambakkam, accusing him of spreading misinformation about the stampede at actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader Vijay’s political rally in Karur. The incident, which occurred on Saturday (September 27, 2025), claimed 41 lives.
Police said Gerald had uploaded a video attributing motives to the state government in connection with the tragedy. The video, which went viral with more than one million views on YouTube within 24 hours, is among several posts flagged by authorities as attempts to incite panic and discontent online.
Gerald’s arrest comes a day after police detained three others — Sagayam, a BJP functionary from Perumbakkam, and two TVK cadres, Sivanesan of Mangadu and Sarathkumar of Avadi — for allegedly circulating false claims related to the stampede.
Meanwhile, opposition groups have intensified demands for an independent investigation, with a petition seeking transfer of the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) now before the Madras High Court. The court is scheduled to hear the matter today.
In an official statement, Greater Chennai Police said 25 accounts had been booked for sharing “rumours and malicious theories” about the Karur tragedy. “Strict action will be taken against anyone posting or forwarding content that causes fear or disrupts public order,” the statement said, warning that even retweets could attract legal consequences.
The arrests mark an escalation in the state’s response to the online fallout of the Karur stampede, which has emerged as both a political and public order flashpoint in Tamil Nadu.
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