Lionel Messi’s much-hyped Kolkata leg of the G.O.A.T. Tour on Saturday turned out to be a chaotic experience for the thousands who came to watch the superstar at the Yuva Bharati Krirangan. The reason: they could not get a glimpse of the Argentine football great. Despite paying a hefty sum for the event, with tickets ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 25,000, several fans claimed they could not even properly see the football legend. The presence of security personnel and other guests in close proximity to Messi meant that fans could not properly see him from the stands. The resulting anger, with chairs and bottles being thrown, forced the organisers to whisk Messi away. Satadru Dutta, the main organiser of the event, has been arrested after an FIR was lodged, confirmed Jawed Shamim, Additional Director General (ADG) Law and Order.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
Messi arrived at the venue at 11:15 a.m. and stayed for approximately 20 minutes. The 2022 World Cup winner was supposed to take a full lap of the stadium, but he did not due to the chaos.
What Happened In The Stadium
Moments after Messi emerged from the tunnel, the situation spiralled out of control. Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who had arrived in Kolkata for the special event, along with former India captain Sourav Ganguly and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, were unable to be part of the programme as the event was cut short amid the chaos.
Such was the situation that promoter Shatadru Datta, organiser of the G.O.A.T. Tour, along with security personnel, had to whisk Messi away from the Salt Lake Stadium. Several fans also barged into the ground and vandalised the canopies set up for the event.
Mamata Banerjee Apologises
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has apologised for the chaotic turn of events and ordered an enquiry.
“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,” Banerjee posted on X.
“I sincerely apologise to Lionel Messi, as well as to all sports lovers and his fans, for the unfortunate incident.
“I am constituting an enquiry committee under the chairmanship of Justice (Retd.) Ashim Kumar Ray, with the Chief Secretary and the Additional Chief Secretary, Home and Hill Affairs Department, as members. The committee will conduct a detailed enquiry into the incident, fix responsibility, and recommend measures to prevent such occurrences in the future.”
Police Use Force
Police and Rapid Action Force used mild force to disperse the angry crowd after they tried to vandalise the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, alleging poor management of the Argentine Legend Lionel Messi’s GOAT Tour event on Saturday.
Speaking to ANI, angry fans accused the Ministers and politicians of hogging Messi’s time and failing to deliver on promises. “Absolutely terrible event. He came for just 10 minutes. All the leaders and ministers surrounded him. We couldn’t see anything. He didn’t take a single kick or a single penalty. They said they would bring Shah Rukh Khan too. They didn’t bring anyone. He came for 10 minutes and left. So much money, emotions, and time wasted. We couldn’t see anything,” said one fan.
Event Organiser Arrested
Satadru Dutta, the main organiser of the event, has been arrested following the event.
“The FIR has been lodged, and the chief organiser has been arrested,” said Jawed Shamim, ADG Law and Order. “They (organisers) are promising that they will return (ticket fee to fans). We will see how it can be done,” Shamim added.( Media Agencies)
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