Who Is Satadru Dutta: The Kolkata Police arrested Satadru Datta, the chief organiser of the Lionel Messi football event at Salt Lake Stadium, on Saturday following widespread chaos at the venue. The disorder was so severe that it led to Argentine World Cup-winning captain Lionel Messi leaving the field early. West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose confirmed that the organiser of Messi's GOAT Tour event was arrested after the chaotic incident at Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday.
Messi’s much-anticipated visit to Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday lasted a mere 22 minutes, which proved to be a stark reminder of the many issues plaguing Indian football and the state administration’s mismanagement.
Who Is Satadru Dutta? Main Organiser Of Lionel Messi Event Who Is Arrested After Kolkata Chaos
Satadru Dutta, the event’s primary organiser and promoter, was the driving force behind Messi’s long-awaited arrival in India. All promotional banners and posters for Messi’s 'G.O.A.T. Tour' prominently featured the phrase 'A Satadru Dutta Initiative,' marking his central role in the event.
Ahead of Messi’s visit, Dutta spoke to the media, saying, "There’s a great atmosphere of joy that Messi is coming to India after 14 years... It’s also good for the fans, an opportunity to see Messi. Football's connection to India is growing again. Never before have so many sponsors come to Indian football."
Dutta has previously played a key role in bringing football legends Pele and Diego Maradona to India. In an Instagram post, Dutta also expressed his desire to bring Portuguese legend Cristiano Ronaldo to India in the future.
However, Saturday’s much-anticipated Kolkata event turned into a nightmare. Dutta was detained for alleged mismanagement after the chaotic scenes at the stadium. He had gone to the Kolkata airport to see off Messi and his entourage on their way to Hyderabad.
"We are investigating whether there was any mismanagement on the organiser's part that contributed to the chaos at the stadium. He has been detained, and the police have since brought the situation under control," said West Bengal’s DGP Rajeev Kumar.
Dutta has reportedly committed in writing to refund the prices of the tickets sold to disappointed fans, Kumar added, according to news agency PTI reported.
What was supposed to be a high-profile football spectacle devolved into widespread violence and disorder after Messi’s brief, tightly-controlled appearance. His first visit to the stadium since 2011 left large sections of the crowd frustrated, as they had paid substantial amounts for tickets but were unable to get a proper view of the superstar.
Around 50,000 fans, many of whom had paid between Rs 4,000 and Rs 12,000 for tickets with some even paying up to Rs 20,000 on the black market, watched in dismay as a swarm of politicians, VVIPs, security personnel, and others more interested in selfies than crowd control surrounded Messi.
The build-up to the event had been electric, with fans spending sleepless nights awaiting Messi’s arrival and rushing to the stadium at the crack of dawn. The gates opened at 8am, and by then, the stadium was packed with over 50,000 people chanting 'Messi, Messi' as former footballers from Mohun Bagan and Diamond Harbour FC, all sporting No.10 jerseys, played a 35-minute exhibition match.
At 11:30am, Messi arrived, dressed in black, stepping out of a white Audi to a thunderous applause, causing the stadium to literally shake. He was accompanied by his longtime Barcelona teammate Luis Suarez and Argentina World Cup winner Rodrigo De Paul.
But things quickly took a turn for the worse. Within minutes, Messi was surrounded by a throng of politicians, police officers, VIPs, and their aides, creating a human blockade that ensured the paying public saw everything but Messi.
Messi appeared confused and bemused as he signed autographs for former players while attempting to make a slow circuit of the ground. The situation deteriorated further.
A visibly distressed Satadru Dutta, his voice breaking, repeatedly pleaded over the public address system, "Please leave him alone. Please vacate the ground." But his appeals were ignored as dignitaries continued to flood the area, and Messi was almost completely obscured by a sea of bodyguards and officials.
Angry fans, frustrated by the situation, began throwing bottles, items that are typically banned in a sporting venue. It was bewildering how these items, along with food packets, were allowed entry. Chairs were ripped out and hurled onto the pitch, while fibreglass seats were smashed across the playing field and the synthetic track.