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The atmosphere at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, West Bengal, turned chaotic as frustrated fans threw ripped-up seats and other debris onto the pitch. In a bid to express their anger, several individuals also clambered over the fence surrounding the field to hurl objects.
“Messi left quickly; it seemed he felt unsafe. I barely caught a glimpse of him,” a spectator shared with Reuters, expressing the disappointment felt by many in attendance.
Supporters were upset after purchasing costly tickets, only to miss seeing their beloved football icon, Lionel Messi, up close. The dissatisfaction among the crowd was palpable.
In response to the tumultuous scenes, authorities reported that Satadru Dutta, the chief organizer of the event, has been taken into police custody.
The organisers of the tour did not immediately respond to a request for a comment.
Chief minister apologises, orders investigation
“I sincerely apologise to Lionel Messi, as well as to all sports lovers and his fans, for the unfortunate incident,” she said.
A fan takes a selfie with Messi at the Salt Lake Stadium. Source: AFP / Dibyangshu Sarkar
She said she was constituting a committee to conduct a detailed enquiry into the incident, assign responsibility, and recommend measures to prevent such occurrences in the future.
“Furthermore, the details of the event were neither communicated to the AIFF, nor was any clearance sought from the Federation,” a statement said.
The event’s chief organiser has been detained by police. Source: SIPA USA / DEBAJYOTI CHAKRABORTY/Debajyoti Chakraborty/News Images/Sipa USA
Multiple incidents of fan riots have taken place at Salt Lake stadium, including during a Kolkata derby match between East Bengal and Mohun Bagan in 2012 which was abandoned after a brick thrown from the stands hit a player, seriously injuring him.
