Angry fans ran amok in Kolkata, clashing with police, after the Argentine football star could barely be seen from the stands because he was surrounded by a phalanx of people, among whom was the state’s sports minister
AMN / KOLKATA
Kolkata Police on Saturday detained Satadru Dutta, the main organiser of the event featuring Argentine football icon Lionel Messi, after chaos and vandalism broke out at Salt Lake Stadium, forcing the superstar to leave the venue earlier than scheduled.
The organiser was arrested from the airport as police launched a probe into alleged mismanagement that triggered unrest inside the stadium. A suo motu case has been registered by Bidhannagar Police, and officials said an FIR would be lodged after determining the appropriate sections.
“We are looking into whether there was any mismanagement from the organiser’s side which led to the chaos at the stadium. He has been detained, and the police have now brought the situation under control,” West Bengal Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar said.
ADG & IGP (law and order) Jawed Shamim informed that preliminary investigation is on and the police are gathering all the facts leading to the chaotic incident at the stadium. He also said instructions have been given so that a refund for the tickets booked for the event can be made. Earlier Today, the legendary football icon Lionel Messi entered the Yuva Bharati Krirangan at around 11:30 am. Footballers Luis Suarez and Rodrigo D’Paul were also with him.
The fans of Messi alleged that they did not get a view of him from the gallery, as some people gathered around him. After some time, Messi went out of the stadium, leaving hundreds of thousands of fans without a glimpse of him.
Fans began to shout the ‘we want Messi’ slogan and started to throw water bottles and uprooted chairs from the gallery into the field. Fans in hundreds of fans breached the fencing and entered the ground and engaged in damaging makeshift tents and other assets. Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee has constituted an enquiry committee under the chairmanship of retired Justice Ashim Kumar Ray to conduct an enquiry.
Governor of West Bengal Dr C V Ananda Bose expressed his anguish and shock in today’s chaotic incident at the Yuva Bharati Krirangan. He termed the day a black day for the sports lovers of Kolkata. Union Minister of State for Education and BJP leader Dr Sukanta Majumdar criticised Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for the mismanagement. In a social media post, he said, many fans of Lionel Messi purchased tickets for a glimpse of the legendary football star, but due to administrative failure, Messi had to return.