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Police have arrested the organiser of the GOAT India Tour’s Kolkata leg after chaos erupted at Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday, forcing Argentine football icon Lionel Messi to cut short his appearance. The organiser, Satadru Dutta, was arrested after unrest broke out at the Yubha Bharati Krirangan, where angry spectators hurled bottles and chairs after failing to get a clear view of Messi, who remained at the venue for only a few minutes.
West Bengal Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar said the organiser was initially detained and later arrested after a FIR was lodged. Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Jawed Shamim confirmed the arrest, stating, “The FIR has been lodged, and the chief organiser has been arrested.” The organiser has been identified as Satadru Dutta, promoter of the GOAT India Tour 2025. “There is normalcy now. The investigation is underway. They are promising that they will return the ticket fee to fans. We will see how it can be done,” he added.
Rajiv Kumar said the organisers had given a written assurance that all ticket-holders would be refunded. “We have persuaded the organiser; he has given in writing that the tickets which have been sold will be refunded. The situation is now under control,” he said. Explaining the trigger for the unrest, Rajiv Kumar said that fans were upset over Messi’s limited appearance. “There was some anger or anxiety among the fans, saying that he’s not playing. The plan was that he would come here, wave, meet certain people and leave,” he said, adding that a government-appointed committee would examine all aspects of the incident.
Violence broke out after Messi exited the stadium, with sections of the crowd throwing water bottles and chairs, breaching barricades and vandalising seating and temporary structures. Police struggled to regain control initially, though officials later said normalcy had been restored.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who was on her way to the venue when the incident occurred, expressed shock and apologised. “I am deeply disturbed and shocked by the mismanagement witnessed today at Salt Lake Stadium,” she wrote on X. “I sincerely apologise to Lionel Messi, as well as to all sports lovers and his fans, for the unfortunate incident.”
The Kolkata leg of the GOAT Tour had been scheduled to last around four hours, but Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami teammates Rodrigo De Paul and Luis Suárez, was escorted out early as security struggled to manage the surging crowd. A coaching clinic for children had to be abandoned. Many fans later complained that despite paying up to ₹20,000 for tickets, they were unable to see the football icon. The enquiry committee will now assess whether mismanagement and security lapses led to the breakdown at the venue.
