A much-anticipated event centred on football superstar Lionel Messi descended into chaos at the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday, with allegations of gross mismanagement triggering vandalism by angry spectators and prompting Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to order a high-level inquiry.
The unrest broke out after Messi left the venue far earlier than scheduled, leaving thousands of fans frustrated after failing to get a clear view of the Argentine icon.
As news of his premature exit spread, sections of the crowd uprooted plastic chairs, hurled bottles onto the pitch and attempted to breach barricades, forcing police to intervene.
Some people, including police personnel, were injured, though no fatalities were reported.
Police later arrested the event’s prime organiser, Satadru Datta, for alleged mismanagement.
The arrest was made at the Kolkata airport, where Datta had gone to see off Messi and his entourage as they departed for Hyderabad.
Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar said the organiser had given a written assurance to refund ticket money to spectators.
The incident laid bare serious lapses in crowd control and event planning, with spectators alleging that a rush of VIPs and organisers onto the field obstructed their view of Messi.
The World Cup-winning captain arrived at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan around 11.30 am and briefly walked on the pitch, waving to the crowd amid loud chants of his name.
However, he remained tightly cordoned off by security personnel, VIPs and organisers, making him barely visible from large sections of the stadium.
Fans grew increasingly agitated as even the giant screens failed to offer clear visuals.
Frustration peaked when Messi turned back midway through his appearance and was escorted out before the programme concluded.
Soon after, sponsor hoardings were torn down, fibreglass seats smashed and temporary VIP canopies pulled apart, with parts of the furniture reportedly set on fire near the touchline.
Repeated public announcements urging unauthorised persons to vacate the field were largely ignored as hundreds spilled onto the pitch.
The disorder forced an abrupt curtailment of the programme, leaving several invited dignitaries unable to participate.
The chief minister, who was on her way to the stadium, turned back after being informed of the violence and Messi’s early departure.
Later, Banerjee expressed shock over the incident, apologised to Messi and football fans, and announced the formation of a high-level inquiry committee to probe the lapses.
In a post on X, she said she was deeply disturbed by the mismanagement witnessed at the stadium.
The episode sparked sharp political reactions, with parties across the spectrum blaming the organisers for what they termed an ill-conceived event.
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Governor C V Ananda Bose said the organisers were primarily responsible but added that the police had also failed the government and the public.
He described the incident as a dark day for the sports-loving people of Kolkata.
TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said he empathised with the anger of the crowd, calling the episode a major disappointment for sports fans.
BJP state president and Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya alleged that greed and mismanagement by “fraudsters” had led to the situation.
Many spectators said they had paid between Rs 4,000 and Rs 15,000 per ticket, a significant sum for many families.
“We came to watch Messi, not politicians,” said a fan who had attended the event with his son, echoing widespread resentment over the manner in which the programme was conducted.
The chaos revived memories of a recent crowd-crush incident outside Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium earlier this year, underscoring renewed concerns over crowd management and safety at high-profile sporting events in India.
