Kolkata, December 13: Chaos broke out at Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday as thousands of fans, frustrated by poor visibility, protested after failing to get a clear view of Lionel Messi during a highly anticipated event. Police had to baton-charge the crowd, and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ordered a high-level enquiry into the incident.
Messi, accompanied by teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, arrived at the stadium around 11:30 AM. However, his appearance was tightly controlled, with Messi barely visible to many spectators. Fans, who had paid between Rs 4,500 and Rs 10,000 for tickets, grew increasingly frustrated as Messi, after a brief wave, left the field early, skipping a planned lap around the stadium.
Angry fans hurled bottles and chairs, tore down sponsor banners, and clashed with security forces. Protesters demanded accountability from state Sports Minister Aroop Biswas and event organizer Shatadru Datta, blaming them for the poor management.
The chaos led to the cancellation of the rest of the program, with invited dignitaries, including Shah Rukh Khan and Sourav Ganguly, unable to attend. The situation only calmed after Messi’s early departure and additional security was deployed.
Banerjee, deeply disturbed by the mismanagement, apologized to Messi and sports fans, announcing an enquiry led by retired judge Justice Ashim Kumar Ray. Governor CV Ananda Bose also called for the arrest of the event organizer, citing both organizational and police failures.
The incident, a stark contrast to Kolkata’s football culture, left fans disappointed and the much-anticipated Messi appearance was tarnished by chaos.
