Messi Event Chaos: Organiser Denied Bail

Satadru Dutta, the chief organiser of Argentine football star Lionel Messi’s ‘GOAT Tour of India’, was denied bail on Sunday and remanded to 14-day police custody, a day after the Kolkata leg of the event descended into chaos at the Salt Lake Stadium.

The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon when Messi, along with his Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo de Paul, arrived at the stadium. Hundreds of fans who had gathered to catch a glimpse of the football icon turned violent after being denied access, leading to crowd trouble and damage to property inside the venue.

West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose visited the Salt Lake Stadium on Sunday to inspect the site. Accompanied by Chief Secretary Manoj Pant and senior police officials, the Governor toured several sections of the stadium. He had been unable to enter the venue on Saturday evening, claiming that the gates were shut and the lights switched off to prevent his inspection. Bose described the incident as a “dark day for the sports-loving people of Kolkata”.

The Governor also directed the state administration to take action against the event organiser and criticised the police for failing to manage the crowd effectively.

What was planned as a high-profile sporting spectacle ended in disorder and arson after Messi’s tightly secured and brief appearance—his first at the venue since 2011—left large sections of the audience disappointed. Many fans had travelled long distances and paid ticket prices of up to ₹20,000 but were unable to see the footballer.

Following the incident, a high-level inquiry committee constituted by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the stadium on Sunday to assess the situation. The panel is headed by retired Calcutta High Court judge Ashim Kumar Ray, with the chief secretary and home secretary as members, and has been tasked with investigating the lapses that led to the unrest.