Chaos broke out at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium after thousands of football fans, who had gathered in the hope of seeing Argentine football legend Lionel Messi, vandalised parts of the venue in anger and disappointment. The unrest followed claims that despite purchasing tickets at steep prices, fans were not allowed entry into areas where Messi was expected to appear and ultimately failed to even catch a glimpse of the global icon.

According to eyewitnesses and officials, tensions began building as fans realised that the event’s arrangements were unclear and communication from organisers was inadequate. As frustration mounted, sections of the crowd resorted to breaking barricades, damaging property, and clashing with security personnel. Police were forced to intervene to bring the situation under control and prevent further escalation.

The incident prompted swift action from the West Bengal government. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ordered a formal enquiry into the matter and announced the constitution of a special committee to examine the circumstances that led to the chaos. The committee has been tasked with identifying lapses in planning, crowd management, ticketing transparency, and security coordination, as well as recommending measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

In a major development, the event organiser was detained by police for questioning. Authorities are probing allegations of mismanagement, misleading ticket sales, and failure to clearly communicate the nature of Messi’s appearance at the event. Many fans alleged that promotional material created the impression of a close interaction or public appearance, which never materialised.

The controversy has sparked a wider debate on the commercialisation of celebrity sports events in India and the responsibility of organisers to ensure transparency. Football has a passionate following in Kolkata, often described as one of India’s football capitals, and expectations surrounding Messi’s visit were extraordinarily high. Fans travelled from across the state and beyond, some spending significant amounts on tickets, accommodation, and travel.

Officials said the enquiry committee will also assess whether adequate permissions and safety protocols were in place and if crowd capacity limits were breached. Any violations could lead to legal action, penalties, or blacklisting of the organisers from hosting future events in the state.

The state government has emphasised that while fan enthusiasm is welcome, public safety and accountability cannot be compromised. The Chief Minister has directed authorities to submit a detailed report within a fixed timeline and ensure that lessons from the incident are institutionalised for future high-profile events.

The incident has left many fans disillusioned, with social media flooded with videos and posts expressing anger and disappointment. While Messi’s brief presence in the city was meant to be a celebratory moment for Indian football fans, it instead turned into a cautionary tale about poor event planning and unchecked hype.

As investigations continue, the focus remains on restoring public trust and ensuring that future sporting events in Kolkata are conducted with clarity, safety, and respect for fans’ expectations.