West Bengal Governor Denied Stadium Entry Following Messi Event Chaos in Kolkata

Following the chaos during Lionel Messi's Kolkata visit, frustrated fans vandalized Salt Lake Stadium claiming poor event management.

On Saturday evening, West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose was reportedly "denied" access to Salt Lake Stadium, just hours after crowd disturbances had disrupted an event featuring football superstar Lionel Messi.

Bose characterized this denial as disrespectful to the constitutional position of Governor and demanded an explanation from authorities.

"I cannot complete my report without personally inspecting the venue... My report is partially completed. I need to witness firsthand what occurred at the actual location," he told media representatives outside the stadium, stating he would give officials "another opportunity to permit entry."

"Is this appropriate treatment for Bengal's Governor? The Governor is not merely a rubber stamp," Bose remarked, describing the incident as a "terrible disregard for constitutional authority."

The Governor announced plans to return to the stadium on Sunday for a thorough examination of the situation.

"This isn't about personal disrespect... this constitutes disrespect toward the constitutional role of the Governor... If someone deliberately attempts to conceal facts from the state's constitutional head, they are deluding themselves," he stated.

"If information can be withheld from the Governor... this may represent just the beginning of larger issues. I will certainly investigate thoroughly to establish the facts," he emphasized.

Bose confirmed that police investigations were already underway and his report would incorporate "the perspective of affected individuals."

Disturbances erupted at Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday when spectators, unable to see Messi properly, engaged in vandalism, alleging severe organizational failures and that VIPs blocked their view.

Police subsequently arrested the primary event organizer, Satadru Datta, while Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced the formation of a high-level committee to investigate the incident.

Earlier that day, Bose had described the stadium incident as a "dark day for Kolkata's sports enthusiasts."

He had instructed the state government to apprehend the event organizer, holding them entirely responsible for the disorder, while also criticizing police for failing their duties to the government, citizens, and chief minister.

According to a Lok Bhavan official, the Governor was particularly troubled to learn that the Chief Minister, who was scheduled to meet Messi, had to turn back due to the disorder.

Bose called for an immediate investigation, refunds for ticket holders, compensation for stadium and public property damage, suspension of police officers who failed to implement preventive measures, and development of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for large-scale events.

He also directed that the organizer face attempted murder charges and questioned how "Messi was commercialized" during the event.