KARUR: Nearly ten days after the deadly stampede in Karur that claimed 41 lives, TVK chief Vijay has finally reached out to the families of the victims through video calls. It also marks the first time in ten days that a second-rung leader from the party has personally visited the affected families.TVK party sources said a team from Chennai, headed by the party’s general secretary of propaganda and policy, K G Arun Raj, began reaching out to the families on Monday afternoon. The outreach was kept under wraps “consciously” by the party. Sources added that at least eight families have been contacted so far, and all 27 affected families will be reached out too soon. During the visits, the team connected the families with the party chief via video call. However, the families were requested not to record the interaction. The video was recorded only on a TVK member’s phone.“He spoke to my mother and sister. He said he would take care of them and stand by them like his own family—as a brother. He also promised to meet us soon. Most of the time, he was silent and did not speak much beyond saying ‘I will take care,’ breaking down at multiple points,” Tamil Arasan, brother of Dhanushkumar, one of the victims, told TOI. Vijay is believed to have spoken to each family for about 5–15 minutes, assuring them, “I will be with you.” “Vijay said it is a loss that is irreparable,” family members told TOI. Among those reached out to were all the families in Emoor village, where five of them lost their lives.