Fans at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata turned violent after they were unable to see football legend Lionel Messi, leading to chaos and unrest at the venue. Lionel Messi of Argentina arrived at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata today, drawing massive crowds from across the city and other parts of the country. Fans had bought tickets priced between ₹5,000 and ₹18,000 and waited eagerly to see him in person. Messi entered the stadium around 11:30 am along with fellow footballers Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, and they were pleased by the loud cheers from the crowd. However, soon after Messi entered the ground, he was surrounded by around 70 to 80 people, including event organisers, West Bengal Sports Minister Aroop Biswas, and football club officials. Many tried to take selfies and get autographs, which blocked the view of Messi for fans sitting in the galleries. As a result, the crowd became angry and started shouting slogans demanding to see him. Due to the growing unrest, organisers decided to move Messi out of the stadium quickly. He was taken away around 11:52 am, even before Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and actor Shah Rukh Khan arrived. Fans who had paid high prices for tickets felt cheated and frustrated. In anger, some broke chairs in the stands and threw them onto the field. Bottles were also thrown, barricades were broken, and hundreds of people rushed onto the ground. Temporary stages were overturned, and some items were set on fire. Police tried to control the situation, but their numbers were insufficient. Outside the stadium, thousands of fans continued to protest, forcing police to use batons to control the crowd. Speaking to the media, fans said that only politicians and celebrities were allowed near Messi, while ordinary supporters were ignored. Many said they paid up to ₹12,000 for tickets but could not even see his face. They called the event a complete failure and said Messi stayed for barely 10 minutes, wasting their money, time, and emotions. Messi had arrived in Kolkata early this morning (December 13), where grand welcome arrangements were made. A 70-foot-tall statue of Messi was also installed near the Sribhumi Sporting Club in Lake Town as part of the celebrations.
