Organiser held after Messi event chaos as AIFF washes hands off

Satadru Dutta, the principal organiser of the mega event held at Salt Lake Stadium on the northern outskirts of Kolkata earlier in the day, featuring Argentine football star Lionel Messi, was arrested on Saturday after chaos and vandalism broke out at the venue over high ticket prices and limited access to the football icon, an official said.

Confirming the arrest, Additional Director General (Law & Order) Jawed Shamim said that a first information report (FIR) would be registered in connection with the incident.

“A thorough investigation will be carried out to ascertain the roots of the mismanagement that ultimately led to the chaos. The police are taking the matter very seriously. Every person found responsible for the mismanagement and the resulting disorder will be booked,” Shamim said.

He also stated that the organisers of the event have been directed to arrange a refund of the money collected through the sale of tickets.

Meanwhile, a senior police insider said that Dutta was arrested by police personnel at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata while he was attempting to leave the city. He is currently being interrogated.

The incident unfolded after agitated spectators, angered over limited access to Messi despite purchasing tickets at what they described as exorbitant prices, went on a rampage inside the stadium.

With the situation spiralling out of control, police were forced to resort to a large-scale lathi charge and deploy personnel from the Rapid Action Force (RAF) to restore order. In the wake of the unrest, Messi left the stadium earlier than scheduled.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was on her way to the stadium at the time of the incident.

However, after being informed about the ruckus and vandalism, she instructed her driver to turn back. Shortly thereafter, the Chief Minister announced the constitution of a judicial committee to probe the mismanagement that led to the chaos.

The probe panel will be headed by Justice (Retd.) Ashim Kumar Ray of the Calcutta High Court. The state Chief Secretary, Manoj Pant, and Additional Secretary to the Home and Hill Affairs Department, Nandini Chakraborty, will be the other two members of the committee.

“The committee will conduct a detailed inquiry into the incident, fix responsibility, and recommend measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in future. Once again, I extend my heartfelt apologies to all sports lovers,” the Chief Minister said in a statement.

AIFF issues statement following Lionel Messi’s GOAT Tour chaos in Kolkata:

Meanwhile, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Saturday issued a statement expressing deep concern over the events that unfolded at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata. Thousands of fans gathered to see football icon Lionel Messi as he visited the city as part of his GOAT Tour alongside Luis Suárez and Rodrigo de Paul, but their excitement turned to frustration due to poor management at the venue.

AIFF clarified that a private public relations agency organised the event and that the national football body had no role in the planning, organisation, or execution of the programme.

The federation emphasised that it was neither informed about the details of the event nor was any clearance sought from it prior to the gathering.

“The All India Football Federation is deeply concerned by the events that transpired at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, where thousands of fans gathered to witness world football stars Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Rodrigo de Paul,” the AIFF said in a statement that they put out across social media.

“This was a private event organised by a PR agency. The AIFF was not involved in the organisation, planning, or execution of this event in any capacity.

“Furthermore, the details of the event were neither communicated to the AIFF nor was any clearance sought from the Federation. We urge all attendees to extend their full cooperation with the relevant authorities and to maintain order.

“The safety and security of all individuals involved must remain the paramount priority,” the statement further read.

The statement comes amid concerns over crowd management and safety following the high-profile appearance of international football stars, which drew massive public interest.

Agencies