Who Is Justice Aruna Jagadeesan? The Judge Appointed To Probe Vijay's Karur Stampede Incident

Retired High Court Judge Justice Aruna Jagadeesan has once again been called upon to navigate a high-stakes public tragedy, appointed to head the Commission of Inquiry into the massive stampede that occurred during a political rally in Karur district. The devastating incident on Saturday, September 27, which claimed the lives of over 30 people, including women and children, has necessitated an immediate and thorough investigation into the security and crowd control failures.

Justice Jagadeesan's appointment signals the government's intent to entrust the inquiry to a figure with a proven-albeit complex-track record in handling politically sensitive matters. Her reputation for delivering reports based on findings, often described as "straightforward," was cemented by her most prominent post-retirement assignment.

Thoothukudi Commission

Justice Jagadeesan is best known to the public as the chairperson of the one-woman commission that probed the 2018 police firing on anti-Sterlite protesters in Thoothukudi, which resulted in 13 civilian deaths. Her final report on that incident was highly critical, concluding that the police action was "unjustified" and "indiscriminate," and leading to the indictment of multiple police and administrative officials. The finality and severity of the Thoothukudi report established her as an authoritative administrative investigator, making her the natural choice for the equally sensitive Karur stampede probe.

A Controversial Judicial Track Record

Before accepting these administrative roles, Justice Aruna Jagadeesan served as a puisne judge at the Madras High Court from 2009 until her retirement in March 2015. However, her judicial tenure is associated with several controversial decisions that have drawn significant criticism from legal activists and human rights groups.

Most notable was her involvement in the 2015 Velachery "fake encounter" case. As part of a High Court bench, she granted a clean chit to the Chennai police regarding the deaths of five men suspected of bank robbery, dismissing pleas for a CBI probe and holding that the police action was justified.

Similarly, she presided over the appeal in the 2002 custodial death of a Dalit woman, Karuppi. Despite public outrage over the victim's alleged torture, Justice Jagadeesan overturned the lower court's conviction and acquitted eight policemen due to insufficient evidence. She was also involved in high-profile cases connected to former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa's financial dealings.

Continuing Influence

Despite-or perhaps because of-these controversial judicial decisions, Justice Aruna Jagadeesan remains a central and active figure in Tamil Nadu's administrative landscape. She continues to chair government search panels, including the one for recommending the vice-chancellor of Dr. Ambedkar Law University in 2025.