By Smritika Banerjee
The Salt Lake Stadium of Kolkata has been left in a wreck, and the authorities estimated that the financial losses might be over Rs. 2.5 crore after fans vandalised the stadium.
This happened on Saturday, after Lionel Messi, the football legend from Argentina, abruptly left an event just after 20 minutes of showing up. The grand celebration of football turned into complete chaos, fuelled by public anger over mismanagement and the severe short appearance of Messi.
The venue, formerly the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, witnessed the destruction caused by the public. Ripped-out seats, broken iron frames, broken sound equipment, and thrown chairs were scattered around the stadium on Sunday. The vendors and stadium officials described the scene as a ‘battlefield’, where spectators vented their frustration through destruction after Messi’s early exit.
Immediately after Messi left before his scheduled time, trouble began, curtailing an event planned for nearly two hours down to a mere 20 minutes, according to a vendor. “Spectators seated near the VIP box began throwing water bottles,” the vendor recalled, adding that a section of the mob later broke through the fence and damaged sound systems and also set a guest sofa on fire. The estimated losses run into lakhs of rupees for equipment alone, as it included high-end speakers and cables.
A state-level enquiry committee headed by a retired Calcutta High Court Justice, along with the police, is now examining the massive security and management lapses. One of the key aspects under investigation is the excessive crowding around Messi by VIPs, Politicians, police, and their entourages, which blocked the view for thousands of ticket-holding fans and reportedly spooked the security team of the Argentine star. According to the witnesses, a ‘VIP pass’ holder’s autograph attempt scratched Messi, and that was the final straw, which prompted Messi’s security detail to recommend an immediate exit.
The main event organiser, Satadru Dutta, was detained at the Kolkata airport and later arrested on charges of mismanagement and public disorder. The police commissioner confirmed that the event was shortened because of “clear mismanagement” and is actively reviewing CCTV footage, with more expected arrests. The administration gave assurance that ticket prices of the disappointed spectators will be refunded by the organiser.