Kolkata: Lionel Messi’s brief appearance in Kolkata on December 13, as part of the first leg of his three-day India tour, sparked widespread unrest after fans alleged gross mismanagement at Salt Lake Stadium. Thousands had gathered since early morning, with ticket prices reportedly going as high as Rs 14,000, hoping to see the global football icon live.
Messi, who earlier unveiled a statue of himself in the city, arrived at the stadium surrounded by dignitaries and political leaders. However, his heavily guarded and limited movement meant that large sections of the crowd could not see him at all. The disappointment soon turned into anger, with fans booing officials, throwing chairs and bottles, and vandalising stadium infrastructure.
Security arrangements collapsed as several spectators stormed the field, forcing organisers to cut short Messi’s stadium lap. He was quickly escorted out as police struggled to regain control, prompting the deployment of riot control forces. As Messi departed for Hyderabad, his next stop in India, angry fans demanded refunds, blaming poor planning and crowd management.
The incident triggered a sharp political backlash ahead of upcoming assembly elections in West Bengal. The BJP accused the Mamata Banerjee-led government of “sheer mismanagement” and called the episode a “global embarrassment.” BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala claimed the state government was incapable of organising international events.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee issued a public apology to Messi and his fans, stating she was “shocked by the mismanagement.” She announced a high-level inquiry led by retired judge Ashim Kumar Ray, along with senior state officials, to fix responsibility for the lapses.
West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose also expressed shock, calling it “a dark day for the sports-loving people of Kolkata.” He ordered multiple actions, including a judicial inquiry, refund of ticket money, and the arrest of those responsible. Shortly thereafter, an FIR was registered against Shatadru Dutta, the main organiser of the event, who was arrested.
