Lionel Messi’s highly anticipated tour of India began in turmoil on Saturday after crowd unrest forced the Argentine star to cut short his appearance at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium, prompting police to detain the event’s chief organizer and state authorities to order an official probe.
Fans angered by what they described as poor organization stormed the pitch, tore up seats, and threw objects after Messi appeared for only about 20 minutes at a ticketed event that was billed as a 45-minute stadium visit, according to police and witnesses.
The disruption unfolded at Salt Lake Stadium, also known as Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, as thousands of fans — many of whom had paid premium prices — reacted to Messi’s early departure.
Ticket prices reportedly started at around 3,500 rupees (about $39), more than half of India’s average weekly income. Some attendees said they paid significantly more.
“I can’t believe there was so much mismanagement,” said Eddie Lal Hmangaihzuala, who traveled nearly 1,500 kilometers from Mizoram over two days to attend the event. “Messi left quickly. I think he felt unsafe. I hardly got a glimpse of him,” he told Reuters.
As tensions rose, spectators ripped out plastic seats and hurled debris onto the field. Several people breached fencing and entered restricted areas, forcing security personnel to intervene and halt proceedings.
West Bengal police detained Satadru Dutta, identified as the chief organizer of the event, as authorities moved to assign responsibility for the breakdown in crowd control.
“We’ve already detained the main organizer,” Rajeev Kumar, director general of West Bengal Police, told reporters. “We’re taking action so that this mismanagement does not go unpunished.”
Kumar added that the organizer had provided a written commitment that all ticket holders would receive refunds.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee issued a public apology to Messi and fans, calling the incident deeply troubling. “I am deeply disturbed and shocked by the mismanagement witnessed today at Salt Lake Stadium,” Banerjee wrote on X. “I sincerely apologize to Lionel Messi, as well as to all sports lovers and his fans, for the unfortunate incident.”
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Banerjee said a committee would be formed to conduct a detailed inquiry, determine accountability, and recommend safeguards to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Messi is visiting India as part of a multi-city tour that includes concerts, youth football clinics, a padel tournament, and charitable initiatives in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi.
Earlier on Saturday, Messi virtually unveiled a 70-foot statue of himself in Kolkata. The city has a long history of devotion to Argentine football icons. Diego Maradona visited Kolkata twice and unveiled a statue of himself there in 2017.
Messi also has personal history at Salt Lake Stadium, where he captained Argentina for the first time in a 2011 friendly victory over Venezuela.
While India is dominated by cricket, states such as West Bengal, Kerala, and Goa maintain passionate football followings. Salt Lake Stadium has previously seen crowd violence, including a 2012 Kolkata derby that was abandoned after a projectile thrown from the stands seriously injured a player.
Authorities said further security reviews would be conducted before upcoming events on Messi’s tour, as officials seek to ensure the safety of the football icon and restore confidence among fans.