Lionel Messi’s visit to India got off to a tumultuous start on Saturday, as fans at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium erupted in chaos, throwing objects, tearing up seats, and storming the pitch after the Argentine soccer superstar made only a brief appearance.
Satadru Dutta, the event’s chief organizer, has been taken into police custody, West Bengal Police Director General Rajeev Kumar confirmed.
Originally scheduled for a 45-minute appearance, Messi left after just 20 minutes.
Tickets for the event ranged from around 3,500 rupees ($38.65),more than half the average weekly income in India—though some fans reported paying as much as $130.
Fans at the stadium hurled ripped-up seats and other items onto the field, while several scaled fences surrounding the pitch and threw objects onto it.
“I can’t believe there was so much mismanagement,” said Eddie Lal Hmangaihzuala, who traveled nearly 1,500 km from Mizoram over two days to attend. “Messi left quickly, I think he felt unsafe. I hardly got a glimpse of him.”
West Bengal’s sports minister, Aroop Biswas, was present at the stadium along with Messi and his Inter Miami teammates Rodrigo De Paul and Luis Suarez.
When approached for comment, the organizers did not respond immediately.
“We’ve already detained the main organizer,” Rajeev Kumar told reporters. “We’re taking action so that this mismanagement does not go unpunished. He has already pledged in writing that tickets sold for the event should be refunded.”
Probe Ordered
Messi’s Indian tour includes concerts, youth football clinics, a padel tournament, and charitable initiatives in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee apologized to Messi and announced an inquiry into the events.
“I am deeply disturbed and shocked by the mismanagement witnessed today at Salt Lake stadium,” Banerjee, who was en route to the event when the chaos unfolded, wrote on X. “I sincerely apologize to Lionel Messi, as well as to all sports lovers and his fans, for the unfortunate incident.”
She said a committee would be established to conduct a detailed investigation, assign responsibility, and propose measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
Salt Lake Stadium has a history of fan unrest, including a 2012 Kolkata derby between East Bengal and Mohun Bagan that was abandoned after a brick thrown from the stands struck a player.
Soccer enjoys a devoted following in West Bengal, Kerala, and Goa, despite cricket dominating the rest of India.
Argentine legend, Diego Maradona, visited Kolkata twice and unveiled a statue of himself holding the World Cup in 2017 before thousands of fans.
Earlier on Saturday, Messi virtually unveiled a 70-foot statue of himself in Kolkata, revisiting a city where he once captained Argentina to a 1-0 friendly victory over Venezuela at Salt Lake Stadium in 2011.
