Organiser Satadru held, Mamata apologises after disorder at Messi's Kolkata programme

Satadru Dutta, the main organiser and promoter of Lionel Messi's GOAT India Tour, was arrested today (13 December) after chaos erupted during the football legend's Kolkata visit, which was cut short amid fan unrest and vandalism at the Salt Lake Stadium.

Jawed Shamim, the Indian police's additional director general (Law and Order), confirmed that an FIR had been filed and Dutta, described as the chief organiser of the event, was taken into custody following the disorder. Authorities said organisers have promised to refund ticket money to spectators.

Minutes after angry fans ransacked Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata following football superstar Lionel Messi's brief visit to the venue, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee apologised to him and constituted an inquiry committee under the chairmanship of a retired judge.

"I am deeply disturbed and shocked by the mismanagement witnessed today at Salt Lake Stadium. I was on my way to the stadium to attend the event along with thousands of sports lovers and fans who had gathered to catch a glimpse of their favourite footballer, Lionel Messi," she shared on her X handle.

Before Mamata reached the stadium, there was complete chaos in the stadium. She turned the convoy around midway and returned.

"I sincerely apologise to Lionel Messi, as well as to all sports lovers and his fans, for the unfortunate incident," she added.

Dutta was the key figure behind bringing Messi to India, with the tour promoted as part of a "Satadru Dutta Initiative." He had earlier said Messi's visit after 14 years would boost football's popularity in India and attract unprecedented sponsorship interest.

The Kolkata leg of the tour descended into chaos shortly after Messi arrived at the stadium. Surrounded by politicians, officials, VIPs and security personnel, the Argentine star remained largely out of sight for the paying public. Unhappy fans later vented their anger, leading to damage inside the venue.

During the incident, Dutta was heard repeatedly appealing over the public address system for the crowd and dignitaries to clear the area, but the situation failed to improve and Messi was eventually escorted out within minutes, reports UNB.

Satadru Dutta is known in Indian football circles for his role in organising visits by global icons Pele and Diego Maradona in the past. He has also publicly expressed interest in bringing Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo to India in the future.

Police said investigations are ongoing into the mismanagement and security lapses surrounding the event, while crowd control forces were deployed at the stadium to restore order after the incident.