Kolkata | What was expected to be a historic celebration of football turned into chaos at the Yuva Bharati Krirangan (Salt Lake Stadium) during Argentine football legend Lionel Messi’s visit to the city. Poor event management, overcrowding, and unmet expectations led to unrest among fans, resulting in vandalism and police intervention.

Messi arrived in Kolkata as part of his much-publicised GOAT Tour of India and made a brief appearance at the stadium amid massive fan turnout. While organisers had indicated that the football icon would spend a significant amount of time interacting with fans, his appearance reportedly lasted less than half an hour. Many spectators, especially those seated far from the stage, complained that they could not see him properly due to overcrowding around the VIP enclosure.

As disappointment grew, sections of the crowd began protesting. Bottles and other objects were thrown onto the field, plastic chairs were damaged, and some fans attempted to enter restricted areas. The situation escalated quickly, forcing police and security personnel to step in to restore order.

Following the incident, Kolkata Police registered multiple cases related to vandalism, public disorder, and negligence. The main event organiser, Satadru Dutta, was arrested, and several others associated with ticketing and event management companies have been summoned for questioning. Police are also reviewing CCTV footage to identify individuals involved in damaging public property.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed regret over the incident and apologised to Messi and football fans. She announced the formation of an inquiry committee to investigate lapses in crowd control, ticketing, and security arrangements.

The incident has sparked political controversy, with opposition parties blaming the state government for administrative failure and demanding a thorough probe. Meanwhile, football fans across the country have expressed disappointment that a landmark event featuring one of the greatest players of all time ended in disorder.

Authorities have assured that strict action will be taken against those responsible and that lessons will be learned to prevent such incidents at future international events.