Lionel Messi’s India visit began with uproar as fans stormed, looted, and even tore seats at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, after the football icon made only a brief appearance at a ticketed event. Police say Satadru Dutta, the event’s chief organizer, has been detained, according to Rajeev Kumar, the director general of West Bengal police.
Messi’s 45-minute planned stop at the venue lasted merely 20 minutes. Ticket prices for the event started at roughly 3,500 rupees (about $38.65), which is more than half of India’s average weekly income, though one attendee claimed to have paid as much as $130.
During the chaotic scenes, fans hurled objects onto the field, ripped seats, and several individuals attempted to scale the perimeter fences. One spectator, Eddie Lal Hmangaihzuala, who travelled nearly 1,500 kilometers from Mizoram over two days, lamented the scene: “I can’t believe there was so much mismanagement.” He said he barely got a glimpse of Messi before he left.
Organizers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Kumar said, “We’ve already detained the main organizer. We’re taking action so that this mismanagement does not go unpunished.” He added that the organizer had already pledged in writing to refund the tickets.
Messi’s India itinerary includes concerts, youth football clinics, a padel tournament, and charitable initiatives across Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee apologized to Messi and ordered an investigation into the incident. In a post on X, she expressed being deeply disturbed by the mismanagement at Salt Lake Stadium and issued assurances that a committee would be formed to determine responsibility and implement preventive measures for the future.
The region’s passion for football remains strong in states like West Bengal, Kerala, and Goa, even as cricket dominates many other parts of India. Salt Lake Stadium has a history of fan unrest, including a 2012 Kolkata derby in which a brick thrown from the stands injured a player, leading to the match’s abandonment.
Earlier in his visit, Messi, who led Argentina in a friendly win over Venezuela at Salt Lake in 2011, participated in the countdown to a 70-foot statue unveiling of himself in Kolkata earlier on Saturday. The tour also coincides with Messi’s involvement in a larger series of appearances and commemorations in the city.
