Angry fans attending Lionel Messi’s tour of India ripped up seats and threw items towards the pitch after his appearance at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium.
Thousands of adoring supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees (£100; $133) to catch a glimpse of the football star, but were left disappointed when he emerged to walk around the pitch, and was obscured by a large group of officials and celebrities.
When the Argentina and Inter Miami forward was whisked away early by security after around 20 minutes, elements of the crowd turned hostile.
West Bengal’s chief minister, Mamata Banerjee, said she was “deeply disturbed and shocked” by the events.
Messi is in India for his ‘GOAT [greatest of all time] tour’, a series of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi.
His tour began with the unveiling of a 70ft (21m) statue of himself in Kolkata, which had been assembled over the course of 27 days by a 45-strong crew. Messi appeared virtually due to security concerns.
Thousands of fans travelled to the city’s stadium for a chance to see the footballer in person.
They were chanting, buying jerseys and wearing “I love Messi” headbands.
Messi initially walked out at the stadium waving to fans, but after his appearance was abruptly ended on Saturday, some frustrated fans stormed the pitch and vandalised banners and tents, as others hurled plastic chairs and water bottles.
The 2022 World Cup winner – considered one of football’s greatest ever players – had been expected to play a short exhibition game at the stadium, the AFP news agency reports.
“Only leaders and actors were surrounding Messi… Why did they call us then… We have got a ticket for 12,000 rupees, but we were not even able to see his face”, a fan at the stadium told Indian news agency ANI.
One angry fan told the Press Trust of India news agency people had paid the equivalent of a month’s salary to see the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.
“I paid Rs 5,000 for the ticket and came with my son to watch Messi, not politicians.
“The police and military personnel were taking selfies, and the management is to blame.”
Messi was accompanied on his brief visit by his Inter Miami teammate and Uruguay star Luis Suarez, and Argentina’s Rodrigo de Paul.
Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan also met Messi earlier in the day, according to the Reuters news agency.
Kolkata is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal and has a large football fanbase in an otherwise cricket-crazed country.
In the city, it is common to see hundreds of thousands of fans gather at stadiums at a derby of local clubs.
The BBC has contacted Lionel Messi’s representatives for comment.
Announcing an enquiry, Banerjee apologised to Messi and “sports lovers” for the incident at the stadium.
“The [enquiry] committee will conduct a detailed enquiry into the incident, fix responsibility, and recommend measures to prevent such occurrences in the future,” the chief minister said on X.
A police official told reporters that the event’s “chief organiser” had been arrested, without giving any further details, AFP reports.
Authorities will look into how organisers could refund money to those who bought tickets, the official added.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) said it was not involved in the “private event”.
In the early hours of Saturday, thousands lined the roads and congregated outside the hotel where Messi was staying to try and catch a glimpse of him.
Hitesh, a 24-year-old corporate lawyer, flew nearly 1,900 kilometres from the south Indian city of Bengaluru.
“For me it’s personal. You can see I am quite short, and I love to play football with my friends,” Hitesh told the BBC, standing in front of the statue.
“Messi is the player I related with the most, no one can match his talent. He gives me hope that with talent you can do anything.”
It is just a small part of India’s homage to the former Barcelona and Paris St-Germain forward.
Fans can also visit a “Hola Messi” fan zone with a life-sized replica Messi sat on a throne, a hall adorned with some of his trophies, and a recreation of his Miami home complete with mannequins of the player and his family sat on a balcony.
By BBC News
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