Kolkata, Dec 13: Chaos at the Salt Lake stadium here during a Lionel Messi event on Saturday escalated into a major law-and-order episode with police detaining the prime organiser for alleged mismanagement, even as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ordered a high-level inquiry and apologised to fans who failed to see the football icon.
What was billed as a marquee sporting spectacle unravelled into disorder as thousands of spectators protested after being unable to get a clear glimpse of Messi, triggering vandalism inside the stadium and sharp political and administrative reactions later in the day.
Accompanied by long-time strike partner Luis Suárez and Argentine teammate Rodrigo De Paul, Messi, the World Cup-winning captain, arrived at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan around 11.30 am.
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.
Messi walked a short distance on the pitch and waved briefly towards the stands amid chants of “Messi, Messi”.
Fans, however, soon realised that he remained tightly cordoned off and barely visible from large sections of the stadium.
Several spectators complained that even the giant screens failed to provide a clear view.
Frustration mounted when it became evident that Messi would not complete the full lap of the stadium that was part of the original programme.
Instead, he turned back midway and was escorted out well before the scheduled end of his appearance.
As word spread that the football star had left prematurely, anger spilt over. Bottles and plastic chairs were hurled onto the pitch, sponsor banners and hoardings were torn down, fibreglass seats smashed, and sections of the crowd attempted to breach barricades to force their way onto the field.
Protesters raised slogans demanding the arrest of state Sports Minister Aroop Biswas and the event’s chief organiser Satadru Datta, accusing them of gross mismanagement.
Eyewitnesses said the situation worsened after organisers, including Datta and his team, were no longer visible on the ground soon after Messi’s exit.
Repeated announcements over the public address system asking unauthorised persons to vacate the field went largely unheeded as hundreds of spectators spilt onto the pitch, pulled down temporary tents and damaged equipment near the touchline.
Police personnel struggled to contain the surging crowd on the pitch, prompting the deployment of the Rapid Action Force inside the stadium. Some protesters were baton-charged to restore order, police sources said.
“This was complete mismanagement,” said Ajay Shah, a football enthusiast who had come with his son. “People have spent a month’s salary to see Messi. I paid Rs 5,000 for a ticket. We came to watch Messi, not politicians.” Ticket prices for the event ranged between Rs 4,500 and Rs 10,000, with many fans arriving early in the morning in the hope of seeing the football legend up close.
The chaos forced an abrupt curtailment of the programme, with several invited dignitaries, including Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, unable to participate as planned.
Police sources said the situation did not fully spiral out of control, only because Messi was taken out of the stadium earlier than scheduled and additional security forces were rushed in.
Hours later, Banerjee expressed shock over the alleged mismanagement and announced the constitution of a high-level enquiry committee.
In a post on X, she apologised to Messi and sports lovers who had gathered at the stadium.
“I am deeply disturbed and shocked by the mismanagement witnessed today at Salt Lake Stadium,” she said, adding that thousands of fans had assembled at the venue hoping to catch a glimpse of the World Cup-winning star.
The inquiry committee will be chaired by retired Calcutta High Court judge Justice Ashim Kumar Ray, with the chief secretary and the additional chief secretary of the Home and Hill Affairs Department as members.
The panel will fix responsibility and recommend measures to prevent such incidents in the future, Banerjee said.
Meanwhile, Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar said the prime organiser of the event had been detained in connection with the incident.
“The plan was that he would come, wave, meet certain people and leave. The government has already constituted a committee which will look into all aspects, including whether there was any mismanagement on the organiser’s side,” Kumar said.
He added that the organiser had given an assurance in writing that he would refund the ticket prices sold to spectators.
“The situation is now under control,” the DGP said.
TV channels, however, reported that the chief organiser has been arrested.
For a city that prides itself on its deep footballing culture, the scenes of broken chairs, ripped banners and angry fans stood in stark contrast to the promise of the day, as a much-anticipated Messi appearance ended in chaos at one of India’s largest football arenas. (Agencies)
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