Kolkata: The Kolkata Police on Saturday detained Satadru Dutta, the main organiser of the GOAT tour that brought football legend Lionel Messi to the city, after fans engaged in vandalism and minor arson at Salt Lake Stadium when many failed to catch a glimpse of the star during his brief appearance.
There were clashes between sections of the audience and police personnel, who resorted to a lathi charge to restore order. Officials told a press conference later that further investigation was underway to determine the responsibility for the security lapses and damage to public property. They also said ticket prices will be refunded to the fans.
What was meant to be a celebratory gathering around Messi degenerated into scenes of utter chaos as the crowd went on a rampage—indulging in vandalism at the stadium, throwing water bottles and broken chairs onto the playing arena, and tearing down posters and also seeting a tent ablaze—when they could not catch a glimpse of the GOAT (The Greatest of All Time, as his fans call him.
With several attendees complaining of lapses in security and crowd management, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced setting up a committee to look into the matter.
I am deeply disturbed and shocked by the mismanagement witnessed today at Salt Lake Stadium. I was on my way to the stadium to attend the event along with thousands of sports lovers and fans who had gathered to catch a glimpse of their favourite footballer, Lionel Messi.
I…
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) December 13, 2025
The Argentine World Cup-winning captain was scheduled to stay on the ground until 1:30 pm Saturday and take part in a high-profile on-field interaction alongside actor Shah Rukh Khan and former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly.
He was also expected to participate in a charity match. But when the match between Mohun Bagan All Stars and Diamond Harbour FC kicked off, Messi had not arrived.
And when he was escorted onto the field around 11.38 am, with Dutta, state sports minister Aroop Biswas and other politicians accompanying him, the match was abruptly cut short.
Messi exited the field at 12.02 pm.
His brief appearance—combined with layers of personal security, state security personnel, and on-field officials who clustered tightly around him—meant that most spectators were unable to get a clear view, fuelling anger among large sections of the crowd.
Many fans said they had paid steep ticket prices—ranging from Rs 3,500 to Rs 20,000—for the event, but could not even catch a proper glimpse of the football icon. An exclusive meet-and-greet package was priced between Rs 9.5 lakh and Rs 10 lakh.
Such high prices meant that getting a ticket involved months of savings for several fans.
And when it became clear to them that Messi would not return to the field, fans’ frustration turned into anger and resulted in vandalism and violence. Sections of the crowd began dismantling banners and breaking plastic chairs, hurling them onto the field.
Hundreds of enraged spectators then breached barricades and entered the playing area, vandalising the dugout and damaging the goalpost.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee apologised to Messi and his fans, and ordered a probe into the mismanagement that resulted in the chaos.
“I am deeply disturbed and shocked by the mismanagement witnessed today at Salt Lake Stadium. I was on my way to the stadium to attend the event along with thousands of sports lovers and fans who had gathered to catch a glimpse of their favourite footballer, Lionel Messi,” she wrote in a post on X.
Adding, “I sincerely apologise to Lionel Messi, as well as to all sports lovers and his fans, for the unfortunate incident.”
The West Bengal government is setting up a panel headed by Justice (Retd) Ashim Kumar Ray, with the chief secretary and the additional chief secretary as members, to investigate and fix responsibility.
‘Used all savings on ticket’
Police personnel, deployed in limited numbers during the initial phase of the programme, struggled to contain the sudden surge. They resorted to a lathi charge to disperse the crowd and restore order inside the stadium.
Authorities have not released official figures on injuries or detentions at the time of filing this report.
Several attendees pointed to serious lapses in security and crowd management. Frisking at entry points was minimal, spectators said, and plastic water bottles were allowed inside the stadium—many of which were later thrown onto the field as tempers flared.
Twenty-five-year-old Sanjib Mondal, a food delivery agent, sat dejected on the stadium stairs with tears rolling down his cheeks. “I have used up all my savings to buy a ticket for Rs 4,500,” he told ThePrint. “We could not even catch a glimpse of Messi.”
Others directed their anger beyond the organisers. “It’s a disgrace for Kolkata, especially West Bengal,” said spectator Sudip Halder. “The state is in a shambles because politicians only want the limelight.”
(This is an updated version of the report.)
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
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According to Saint Sagarika Ghose, devil Moti is responsible for the chaos. Goddess Mamata is innocent. The whole universe knows that Saint Sagarika speaks nothing but the truth.