Kolkata: The visit of Argentine football superstar Lionel Messi to Kolkata triggered chaotic scenes at a city stadium, sparking widespread controversy and prompting a high-level investigation by the West Bengal government. Tensions escalated following disorder at the venue, drawing sharp criticism over crowd management and security arrangements. In a major development, state Sports Minister Aroop Biswas has resigned from his post, taking moral responsibility for the incident.
Announcing his decision, Aroop Biswas said he stepped down to ensure a fair and transparent probe into the events surrounding Messi’s visit. He confirmed that his resignation letter had been sent to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The incident has become a major political and administrative issue in the state, with the government facing mounting pressure to act against those responsible for the lapses.
As part of the inquiry, the West Bengal government has issued show-cause notices to Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar, Bidhannagar Police Commissioner Mukesh Kumar, and Youth Affairs and Sports Department Principal Secretary Rajesh Kumar Sinha. They have been asked to submit explanations within 24 hours regarding the failures that led to the unrest. Additionally, Bidhannagar Deputy Commissioner of Police Anish Sarkar has been suspended pending further investigation.
Meanwhile, Messi had arrived at the Kolkata stadium on Saturday as part of his India tour but left within minutes, angering fans who had gathered in large numbers. Enraged spectators threw plastic chairs onto the field, tore down sponsor banners and hoardings, and some breached barricades to enter the ground, creating a chaotic situation. Videos of the unrest went viral on social media, while protesters raised slogans demanding the arrest of Aroop Biswas and event organiser Shatadru Datta. The state government has constituted a probe committee to examine the incident in detail.