Chaotic scenes erupted at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium after Lionel Messi cut short his appearance during his India tour prompting angry fans to vandalise property and hurl objects towards the pitch.
Thousands of supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees (£100; $133) to attend the event, hoping to see the Argentina and Inter Miami forward in person.
However, disappointment spread quickly when Messi only walked briefly around the pitch and was largely obscured by a large entourage of officials and celebrities.
After spending about 20 minutes at the stadium, Messi was escorted away early by security.
As it became clear that his appearance had ended, parts of the crowd turned hostile, ripping up seats, throwing plastic chairs and bottles, damaging banners and tents.
Some fans also stormed the pitch, forcing police to intervene.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee described the incident as “deeply disturbing and shocking” and announced the launch of an official enquiry.
She apologised to Messi and to “sports lovers” for what transpired at the venue.
“The enquiry committee will conduct a detailed investigation into the incident, fix responsibility, and recommend measures to prevent such occurrences in the future,” Banerjee said in a post on X.
A spokesperson for Messi stated that the footballer had fulfilled the time commitment agreed in advance and referred questions about the organisation of the event to Banerjee’s public apology.
According to police, the event’s “chief organiser” has been arrested, although no further details were provided.
Authorities also said they would explore how refunds could be arranged for ticket holders.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) clarified that it had no involvement in the privately organised event.
Messi is in India as part of his ‘GOAT (Greatest of All Time) Tour’, a series of promotional appearances scheduled across Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi.
The tour began with the unveiling of a 70-foot statue of Messi in Kolkata, which was constructed over 27 days by a 45-member crew.
Due to security concerns, Messi appeared virtually at the unveiling.
Many fans said they felt misled by the event. Some had expected Messi to play a short exhibition match, according to reports by the AFP news agency.
“Only leaders and actors were surrounding Messi. Why did they call us then?” one fan told Indian news agency ANI. “We paid 12,000 rupees but couldn’t even see his face.”
Another supporter told the Press Trust of India that people had spent the equivalent of a month’s salary to attend. “I paid 5,000 rupees and came with my son to see Messi, not politicians,” the fan said, blaming poor organisation and security arrangements.
Messi was accompanied during his brief visit by Inter Miami teammate Luis Suárez, Argentina midfielder Rodrigo de Paul, and was also reported to have met Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan earlier in the day.
Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal, is known for its strong football culture despite India being a cricket-dominated nation.
In the early hours of Saturday, thousands of fans had lined roads and gathered outside Messi’s hotel in hopes of seeing him.
