Police Expose Lapses After Messi Kolkata Tour Organiser Arrest

Serious lapses in planning and crowd management led to chaos during the Kolkata leg of Lionel Messi’s GOAT India Tour, according to Bidhannagar Police Commissioner Mukesh Kumar. The senior officer shared details of the failures while accompanying the Governor and members of the state government’s inquiry committee, which is investigating the incident at Salt Lake Stadium on December 13.

The event was meant to be the grand opening of Lionel Messi four-city India tour and his first appearance in Kolkata after 14 years. However, what was planned as a nearly two-hour programme was abruptly reduced to just 20 minutes after disorder broke out inside the stadium. The police commissioner said the sudden shortening of the event was a direct result of clear mismanagement by the organisers.

According to the police, security arrangements were functioning smoothly until around 10 am. The situation began to deteriorate shortly before noon, just minutes before Messi exited the venue. Fans started expressing their anger, and the mood inside the stadium quickly turned hostile. As Messi was escorted out by his security team, sections of the crowd began throwing water bottles, chairs and other objects onto the field.

The police commissioner said authorities were not informed about an expanded guest list, which caused unexpected crowd pressure. He also revealed that water bottles were allowed inside the stadium despite no permission being granted. These lapses added to the unrest and made crowd control difficult.

The chief organiser of the event, Satadru Dutta, was arrested later that day at Kolkata airport while he was there to see off Messi and his team before their departure to Hyderabad. His bail plea was rejected by a local court, and he has been sent to judicial custody for 14 days.

Police officials confirmed that CCTV footage from the stadium is being closely examined and that more arrests are likely. Vendors and other individuals linked to the event will also be questioned as part of the ongoing investigation.

Two cases have been registered by the police against Dutta and unidentified persons in connection with the violence and damage that followed the event at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan. He has been charged under multiple legal provisions related to provocation, rioting, damage to public property, assault on public servants, and acts disturbing public order.

Authorities said the investigation is ongoing and responsibility will be fixed after examining all evidence. The incident has raised serious questions about event management and safety planning for large public gatherings, especially those involving international sports icons like Lionel Messi.