Messi event organiser denied bail, sent to 14-day police custody over Kolkata chaos
PTC News Desk: West Bengal authorities on Sunday remanded the promoter and chief organiser of Argentine football legend Lionel Messi’s G.O.A.T India Tour 2025 to 14 days of police custody, a day after widespread disorder and vandalism broke out during a crowded event in Kolkata.
The main organiser, Shatadru Dutta, was produced before the Bidhannagar court following his arrest over alleged mismanagement and failure to maintain public order at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, commonly known as Salt Lake Stadium. As he was escorted to court, BJP supporters demonstrated outside, accusing the organisers of misleading fans.
What had been billed as a grand football event on December 13 turned chaotic after Messi’s short, tightly secured appearance disappointed large sections of the audience. Many fans, including those who had travelled from other states and paid high ticket prices, were unable to see the football star, triggering anger that soon escalated into violence. Spectators damaged seating, barricades and railings inside the stadium, prompting police to register an FIR and detain the organiser, citing serious lapses in crowd control and security arrangements.
The day after the incident, a three-member inquiry committee set up by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the stadium to examine the damage and piece together the sequence of events. The panel, led by retired Calcutta High Court judge Justice Ashim Kumar Ray and including Chief Secretary Manoj Pant and Home Secretary Nandini Chakravorty, conducted a detailed inspection of the venue. The team reviewed Messi’s entry and movement within the stadium and assessed security measures, access routes and surrounding galleries.
Scenes of destruction were evident across several sections, with broken plastic chairs, bent metal barricades, torn banners, scattered footwear and damaged fibreglass seats. Cleanup work was temporarily halted to allow the committee to fully assess the extent of vandalism and identify shortcomings in crowd management and security deployment. The inspection was documented through photographs and video recordings.
Chief Minister Banerjee had earlier apologised to Messi and football fans and announced the high-level probe to fix accountability and suggest measures to prevent similar incidents at major events. Police officials said the investigation would closely examine ticketing systems, entry arrangements, security deployment and coordination between event organisers and government authorities.
- PTC NEWS
