What was meant to be a historic celebration of football turned turbulent in Kolkata on Saturday as Lionel Messi’s appearance at Salt Lake Stadium ended abruptly amid disorder, crowd unrest and allegations of severe mismanagement. The Argentine football icon left the venue earlier than scheduled after fans grew restless, with reports of bottle-throwing, attempts to breach security barricades and damage to property inside the stadium.
The situation escalated shortly after Messi’s departure, with disappointed fans accusing organisers of failing to manage the massive turnout. Scenes of chaos quickly spread outside the venue, casting a shadow over the much-anticipated Kolkata leg of the GOAT Tour.
Reacting to the incident, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee issued a public apology to the football legend and fans. Expressing distress over the developments, she said she was deeply shocked by the mismanagement at the iconic stadium and regretted that the event failed to meet expectations despite the enthusiasm of thousands of sports lovers.
In response, the Chief Minister ordered a high-level inquiry to investigate the lapses. A committee headed by retired Justice Ashim Kumar Ray has been constituted to conduct a detailed probe and identify those responsible. The panel will include the Chief Secretary and the Additional Chief Secretary of the Home and Hill Affairs Department, signalling a serious administrative review of the episode.
The incident triggered sharp political reactions, with the Bharatiya Janata Party launching a scathing attack on the ruling Trinamool Congress. BJP leaders termed the episode an international embarrassment and questioned the state government’s ability to manage large-scale events involving global figures.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla alleged that poor planning and inadequate security led to the chaos, claiming that fans were kept away while political leaders crowded around the football star. He warned that the situation could have turned dangerous for both spectators and the guest.
State BJP president Sukanta Majumdar also criticised the administration, accusing it of governance failure and claiming that sports fans who paid heavily for the event were left disappointed due to unruly behaviour and mismanagement.
Messi, who arrived in Kolkata earlier in the day to a massive fan reception, is scheduled to continue his India tour with visits to Hyderabad later on Saturday and Mumbai on Sunday. However, the Kolkata episode has sparked widespread debate over event management, crowd control and the handling of high-profile international visits in the state.
