Satadru Dutta, promoter and main organiser of Lionel Messi’s GOAT India tour, was sent to 14-day police custody by a Bidhannagar court on Sunday, a day after chaos and vandalism erupted at Kolkata’s iconic Salt Lake Stadium during the Argentine football icon’s visit.
Dutta was arrested on Saturday on charges related to alleged mismanagement and public disorder at the venue. He was produced before the court following the incident, which left thousands of fans disappointed and led to damage inside the stadium.
Meanwhile, a three-member enquiry committee appointed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the stadium to assess the damage and reconstruct the sequence of events. The panel is headed by retired Calcutta High Court judge Justice Ashim Kumar Ray, with Chief Secretary Manoj Pant and Home Secretary Nandini Chakravorty as members.
The committee traced Messi’s movement from the entry point into the stadium and examined security arrangements, access corridors, and adjoining galleries, according to a report by India Today.
Kolkata leg marred by disorder
Anger and unrest broke out on Saturday after Messi’s much-anticipated visit failed to meet fan expectations, triggering protests and vandalism inside the stadium.
Nearly 50,000 spectators, many of whom paid between Rs 4,000 and Rs 12,000 for tickets — with some reportedly shelling out up to Rs 20,000 on the black market — were left frustrated as VVIP movement and security cordons restricted their view of the football star.
The situation escalated when bottles were thrown from the stands, despite such items being prohibited inside the venue. Food packets were also found inside the stadium, while chairs were uprooted and hurled, damaging fibreglass seating and the synthetic track.
Salt Lake Stadium, which has hosted several international matches and global football stars, had earlier welcomed Messi for an exhibition match in 2011.
