Lionel Messi's Kolkata visit chaos: Police chief blames 'mismanagement' for crowd fury at Salt Lake stadium

NEW DELHI: Bidhannagar Police Commissioner Mukesh Kumar has revealed the reasons behind the anger and chaos that erupted during the Kolkata leg of Lionel Messi's GOAT India Tour on December 13, pointing squarely at mismanagement by the organisers.

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Kumar said the event at the Salt Lake Stadium, originally scheduled for nearly two hours, was cut short to just 20 minutes, triggering the crowd's unrest. “When you cut a 1 hour 40-minute event to 20 minutes, this is bound to happen. It is a fallout of mismanagement. We have arrested one person and prepared a list of people to be summoned,” he said, as quoted by The Indian Express.




Satadru Dutta, chief organiser of Messi's India tour, was arrested following the fiasco. A Bidhannagar court rejected his bail plea, and he was remanded to 14 days of judicial custody. The commissioner indicated that CCTV footage is being reviewed and more arrests are likely. “No permission for water bottles was given. The additional guest list was not given to us. Vendors, too, will be questioned. All those identified will be arrested,” Kumar said.

The police chief explained how the situation escalated despite tight security. “Everything was under control until 10 am. However, the matter escalated at 11:48 am, four minutes before Messi had left the venue. The crowd started shouting ‘boo boo', and we could sense their dissatisfaction. Messi's security team swiftly escorted him out, and as fans saw him leave, they began throwing bottles, chairs, and other objects onto the field,” Kumar added.


Two suo motu cases have been registered against Dutta and unidentified individuals. Charges include provocation with intent to cause a riot, mischief, assault on public servants, and damage to public property under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the West Bengal Maintenance of Public Order Act, and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

Kumar's statement highlights glaring lapses in coordination and crowd management, providing insight into why a highly anticipated return of the football superstar turned chaotic in Kolkata. The inquiry into the incident continues, with authorities vowing accountability for those responsible.


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