Lionel Messi's highly anticipated India tour got off to a disastrous start as fans rioted and threw broken stadium seats onto the pitch at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. The chaos erupted during a brief visit by the Argentina forward, who was met with aggressive behavior from overzealous supporters.
Eyewitnesses reported that Messi walked around the pitch waving to fans but was closely surrounded by a large group of people, leaving just 20 minutes after his arrival. However, it wasn't long before fans had lost control and started hurling objects onto the field, prompting organizers to scramble for security.
"We're taking action so that this mismanagement does not go unpunished," West Bengal Police Director General Rajeev Kumar said in a statement. "The chief minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, has apologized to Messi and ordered an investigation into the incident."
Satadru Dutta, the event's chief organiser, has been detained by police, while All India Football Federation (AIFF) officials distanced themselves from the event, stating that they were not involved in its organization.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage among football fans, who are urging authorities to take action and prevent similar incidents in the future. The AIFF has called for cooperation from attendees and emphasized the safety and security of all individuals involved.
This was not Messi's first time in Kolkata; he played in a friendly match at the Salt Lake Stadium in 2011, where Argentina defeated Venezuela 1-0. However, that event had none of the chaos that erupted on Saturday.
Eyewitnesses reported that Messi walked around the pitch waving to fans but was closely surrounded by a large group of people, leaving just 20 minutes after his arrival. However, it wasn't long before fans had lost control and started hurling objects onto the field, prompting organizers to scramble for security.
"We're taking action so that this mismanagement does not go unpunished," West Bengal Police Director General Rajeev Kumar said in a statement. "The chief minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, has apologized to Messi and ordered an investigation into the incident."
Satadru Dutta, the event's chief organiser, has been detained by police, while All India Football Federation (AIFF) officials distanced themselves from the event, stating that they were not involved in its organization.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage among football fans, who are urging authorities to take action and prevent similar incidents in the future. The AIFF has called for cooperation from attendees and emphasized the safety and security of all individuals involved.
This was not Messi's first time in Kolkata; he played in a friendly match at the Salt Lake Stadium in 2011, where Argentina defeated Venezuela 1-0. However, that event had none of the chaos that erupted on Saturday.
this is insane! i mean, messi just walks out onto the pitch and people start throwing seats everywhere 
can't believe what happened in kolkata. all these years he's been playing for barcelona and now this? seems like security was way off, but at least mamata banerjee apologized 
and rajeev kumar is saying they're taking action... hopefully they do something about it so it doesn't happen again 
You know what this says to me? It says we gotta take responsibility for our actions. I mean, think about it - Messi just wanted to show up and wave at some fans, but instead people lose control and stuff gets thrown around. Like, imagine if that was your cousin or your neighbor who got caught in the middle of all that chaos. Would you be okay with it? 
It's a reminder that our enthusiasm can sometimes turn into something bad. So yeah, authorities gotta step up and make sure this doesn't happen again. But we also gotta reflect on ourselves - what would we do if we were in Messi's shoes? How would we react if someone was throwing things at us? 
It's all about being mindful of our own behavior, you know? 
And now the AIFF is saying they weren't involved in the event? 
Come on, own up to it! 
I'm still trying to wrap my head around how this happened... last time Messi was in Kolkata, it was all smiles and football 
. This is a total mess! 
. I mean, I get that fans can get excited, but rioting and throwing stuff onto the field is just not cool 
. But now, it looks like things got out of hand 
.
.
It's not just about the football, it's about respect for everyone involved. And what really gets me is that Satadru Dutta, the event organizer, got detained by the police? That's just harsh, don't you think? 
that's just poor planning on the event organizers part. I know Messi's a superstar and all, but he shouldn't have to deal with this kind of chaos just because some fans got carried away. The police should be doing more to keep an eye on things during big events like this. 
, it's just a football match! Safety first, people! 
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! I mean, I know fans can get crazy but throwing broken seats at the stadium? That's just wild 
! And poor Satadru Dutta being detained by the police... not cool bro 
. I'm all for a good celebration but not when it gets out of hand 
. The AIFF should really take responsibility for this one 
. And btw, Messi is still the GOAT regardless of what happens 
!
. The authorities need to take responsibility and make sure something like this doesn't happen again 
#JusticeForMessi #FanSafetyFirst #FootballFrenzy
anyway, im glad no one got hurt or anythin... but seriously, how do u even prevent this kinda thing from happenin in the future? 
And now he's going to be worried about his safety every time he steps onto the pitch? No thanks, I think. 