A Kolkata court on Sunday sent Satadru Datta, the chief organiser of the Lionel Messi football event held at Salt Lake Stadium, to 14 days of police custody, officials said. “The order came a day after the event descended into chaos, triggering allegations of large-scale mismanagement.”
read also: Messi Kolkata Event Chaos: Organiser Arrested After Fan Unrest at Salt Lake Stadium
Datta was arrested by the Bidhannagar Police on Saturday from Kolkata airport, where he had gone to see off Messi and his entourage, who were travelling onward to Hyderabad. Police said, “the arrest was linked to crowd mismanagement and security lapses that led to unrest inside the stadium.”
Appearing before the court, Datta’s counsel argued that his client was being unfairly targeted and falsely implicated in the case.
“He is being victimised and framed. We expect the investigation over the next 14 days will bring clarity,” the lawyer told the court.
Meanwhile, BJP supporters staged a protest outside the court premises while Datta was being produced. The demonstration added to the political heat surrounding the incident.
What was billed as a grand football spectacle turned into scenes of disorder and violence after Messi’s tightly controlled and short appearance, his first at the Salt Lake venue since 2011. Large sections of the crowd were left disappointed after failing to catch even a glimpse of the football icon.
Many fans had travelled long distances and paid high ticket prices, only to leave frustrated, prompting outrage and demands for accountability over the handling of the event.
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