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•After Indian fans rip up seats
Argentina star Lionel Messi’s tour of India kicked off chaotically on Dec 13 as fans threw objects, ripped up seats, invaded the pitch and broke the stage after the football great made only a brief stadium appearance, shielded from view by a large entourage.
Satadru Dutta, the event’s chief organiser, has been detained by police, said Rajeev Kumar, director-general of West Bengal police.
Messi was scheduled for a 45-minute visit to the stadium, but his appearance lasted just 20 minutes. Tickets for the event were priced from around 3,500 rupees (S$50) – more than half of the average weekly income in India – but one fan said he had paid S$167.
Fans in the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata threw ripped-up stadium seats and other objects onto the field and track, while several people climbed a fence around the field and hurled objects, video from ANI news agency showed, after an appearance that lasted just 20 minutes, according to Indian media.
“I can’t believe there was so much mismanagement,” said Eddie Lal Hmangaihzuala, who had travelled nearly 1,500 km from Mizoram over two days to attend the event.
“Messi left quickly. I think he felt unsafe. I hardly got a glimpse of him,” he told Reuters.
The organisers of the tour did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
