Case filed against 3 close associates of Vijay in 40-death rally

Police have filed a case against three close associates of popular actor Vijay on charges of culpable homicide and negligence in a stampede that killed 40 people at a political rally in southern India's Chennai, the AFP news agency reported from Chennai.

About 27,000 people had gathered on a street in the state of Tamil Nadu on Saturday to watch Vijay, who turned from actor to politician. However, when chaos broke out at one point, panic spread and 40 people died in a stampede.

Deaths due to stampedes at public gatherings are not new in India. In this case, poor security measures are blamed.

Police have filed a case against three senior members of Vijay's political party. The accused are Busi Anand, G. R. Nirmal Kumar and V. P. Mathiasgan.

Senior police officer S. Davidson Debashirbatham told reporters that a case has been registered. All those involved in this incident will be found.

All three have been charged with criminal homicide not amounting to murder and negligent conduct endangering human life.