Police in India have detained the main organizer of football star Lionel Messi’s visit after chaos broke out at a stadium in Kolkata, where angry fans vandalized seats and invaded the pitch.
The incident happened on Saturday at Salt Lake Stadium in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal, where Messi was expected to make a 45-minute appearance at a paid fan event. However, the Argentine football legend stayed for only about 20 minutes, triggering anger among thousands of fans.
Tickets for the event cost between 3,500 rupees (about $39) and much more on resale, with some fans saying they paid up to $130—a high price in a country where that amount is more than half of the average weekly income.
As Messi left the stadium earlier than expected, fans began throwing objects, ripping out seats, and climbing fences to access the pitch. Witnesses said the situation became unsafe, forcing security to escort Messi out quickly.
“I travelled nearly 1,500 kilometers to see Messi,” said Eddie Lal Hmangaihzuala, a fan from Mizoram. “There was too much mismanagement. I barely saw him, and I think he left because he felt unsafe.”
West Bengal police chief Rajeev Kumar confirmed that Satadru Dutta, the chief organizer of the event, has been detained. “We have already detained the main organizer. We are taking action so that this mismanagement does not go unpunished,” Kumar said.
Event organizers have so far not responded to requests for comment, while authorities continue investigating security failures and crowd control issues.
The incident has raised serious concerns about event planning, fan safety, and accountability during high-profile international sporting events in India.
