KOLKATA, Dec 13 — Shatadru Datta, the prime organiser of Lionel Messi’s event at Salt Lake Stadium, was detained Sunday over allegations of mismanagement that led to chaos during the football legend’s appearance, West Bengal Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar said.
Datta was taken into custody at Kolkata airport, where he had gone to see off Messi and his entourage to Hyderabad. “We are looking into whether there was any mismanagement from the organiser’s side, which led to the chaos at the stadium. He has been detained, and the police have now brought the situation under control,” Kumar said.
The organiser has committed in writing to refund ticket prices to disappointed spectators, the DGP added. Ticket costs ranged from Rs 4,500 to Rs 10,000, with many fans spending hours or arriving early in the morning hoping for a close view of Messi.
Saturday’s event, billed as a marquee football spectacle, turned disorderly when Messi, accompanied by Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, arrived at 11:30 a.m. His vehicle was quickly surrounded by VIPs, organisers, celebrities, and security personnel, preventing large sections of the audience from seeing the footballer clearly.
Eyewitnesses said Messi walked only a short distance on the pitch and waved briefly, leaving the stadium midway through his scheduled appearance. Fans, frustrated by limited visibility and malfunctioning giant screens, threw bottles and chairs, tore down sponsor banners, and attempted to breach barricades.
“This was complete mismanagement,” said Ajay Shah, a football enthusiast who attended with his son. “People have spent a month’s salary to see Messi. I paid Rs 5,000 for a ticket. There was no drinking water, and even the police were busy taking selfies.”
The chaos forced the abrupt cancellation of the programme, preventing dignitaries, including Shah Rukh Khan, former cricket captain Sourav Ganguly, and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, from participating as planned.
