Angry fans broke security protocols and resorted to vandalism, unable to catch a glimpse of Messi during his nearly half-hour appearance at Salt Lake Stadium.
| Photo Credit:
DEBASISH BHADURI
Football legend Lionel Messi’s India tour kicked off on a chaotic note on Saturday as thousands of fans protested inside Kolkata’s Salt Lake stadium and stormed the ground after failing to catch a clear glimpse of the Argentine star despite paying hefty sums for tickets.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee issued a public apology to Messi and his fans in Kolkata. Banerjee said she was shocked by the “mismanagement” at the stadium and constituted an enquiry committee to probe what led to the major chaos.
The police arrested Satadru Dutta, organiser of Messi’s event at the Salt Lake stadium, after questioning him for around two hours.
Messi arrived at the stadium at around 11.30 am in the first leg of his three-day ‘GOAT Tour’ in India from Saturday. His vehicle was parked near the touchline and, as he stepped onto the field, he was quickly encircled by VIPs, organisers, celebrities and security personnel, leaving spectators in the galleries straining for a view. He walked a short distance on the pitch and waved briefly towards the stands amid chants of “Messi, Messi”.
Thousands of fans, however, soon realised that their favourite star remained tightly cordoned off and barely visible from large sections of the stadium as he was closely surrounded by a large group of people. Several spectators were frustrated as they could not see Messi properly because politicians and VVIPs prioritized selfies over crowd control, sidelining eagerly-awaiting fans.
They were angry when it became evident that the Argentine star would not complete the full lap of the stadium that was part of the original programme.
Violent outburst
The anger exploded into a violent outburst when Messi turned back midway and was escorted out well before the scheduled end of his appearance. As word spread that he left the venue prematurely, bottles and plastic chairs were hurled onto the pitch, sponsor banners and hoardings were torn down. Angry fans invaded the field and tried to set fire to the VIP seating area beside the field, leading the police to lathi-charge the crowd.
“I am deeply disturbed and shocked by the mismanagement witnessed today at Salt Lake Stadium. I was on my way to the stadium to attend the event along with thousands of sports lovers and fans who had gathered to catch a glimpse of their favourite footballer, Lionel Messi,” Banerjee wrote on her X handle.
“I sincerely apologise to Lionel Messi, as well as to all sports lovers and his fans, for the unfortunate incident,” the Chief Minister added.
Banerjee said she would constitute an enquiry committee under the chairmanship of Justice (Retd.) Ashim Kumar Ray. “I am constituting an enquiry committee under the chairmanship of Justice (Retd.) Ashim Kumar Ray, with the Chief Secretary and the Additional Chief Secretary, Home and Hill Affairs Department, as members. The committee will conduct a detailed enquiry into the incident, fix responsibility, and recommend measures to prevent such occurrences in the future,” she added.
On the Chaos at the event, West Bengal DGP Rajeev Kumar said, “Now the Government has already constituted a committee that will look into all aspects, including whether there was any mismanagement on the organiser’s side or anything else. The organiser is giving in writing to those who are concerned that the tickets which have been sold should be refunded.”
The Opposition BJP in the State hit out at the Trinamool Congress Government for the incident.
“By disgracing West Bengal and India in the eyes of sports lovers and people across the world, the failed Chief Minister @MamataOfficial is now busy shedding crocodile tears! This deception is not limited to the awareness of ordinary citizens of West Bengal, it is well known across the entire nation. Throughout your tenure, one embarrassing and distressing episode after another has unfolded, and each time you have relied on the same familiar tactics to evade accountability and place yourself conveniently beyond blame. The people are fully conscious of this pattern,” BJP MP Sukanta Majumdar said on X.
“Do not forget that, the ultimate authority over the State’s police and administration rests solely with you,” Majumdar added.
Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said the spectators’ anger at the stadium was justified. “Why was Messi surrounded by a crowd of hooligans? Why wasn’t Messi kept alone ahead during the stadium lap? Why were the gallery spectators deprived?” Ghosh raised questions on X.
Published on December 13, 2025