West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose condemned the chaos during Lionel Messi’s visit to Kolkata, calling it a dark day for sports lovers. He blamed poor planning and policing, ordered action against organisers, refunds to fans and sought a judicial enquiry
Police used mild force to disperse angry fans at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata after chaos erupted during Lionel Messi’s GOAT Tour event over alleged mismanagement. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee later apologised and ordered a judicial enquiry
What was billed as the biggest sports show of the year turned chaotic in Kolkata as fans protested poor management during Lionel Messi’s appearance, accusing organisers and VIPs of hogging the football legend’s time and demanding ticket refunds
Lionel Messi’s Kolkata leg of the GOAT Tour India 2025 turned chaotic after the football legend left early, triggering angry protests by fans at Salt Lake Stadium over poor event management, high ticket prices and unfulfilled promises
According to the police, the event saw serious crowd management issues, which led to inconvenience and disappointment among spectators. Police intervened after complaints were received regarding poor arrangements and lack of proper control at the venue
The police said that the practice test was conducted at the Gadchiroli Police Headquarters and at 74 public libraries set up under the "One Village, One Library" initiative across police stations, sub-posts and outposts
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ordered a high-level enquiry and apologised to Lionel Messi and fans after chaos erupted at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata over alleged mismanagement during the football icon’s brief appearance
Several areas were categorised as having ‘Severe’ air quality. Anand Vihar recorded the highest AQI at 436, shrouded in thick toxic smog. Other locations, including Ashok Vihar (435), ITO (425), DTU (426), and Nehru Nagar (427), also reported critically poor air quality in the ‘Severe’ category
In the coastal regions, Dahanu recorded a minimum of 15.3 degrees Celsius with 71 per cent humidity, while Ratnagiri reported 17.1 degrees Celsius and 41 per cent humidity. Harnai experienced warmer conditions, with a low of 21.4 degrees Celsius and dry weather
Notably, this is the first time since 2011 that Messi has visited India. Back then, the legendary footballer visited Kolkata and played a friendly match at Salt Lake Stadium, where Argentina defeated Venezuela 1-0
The Barcelona legend's 2.26 am touchdown in the early hours of Saturday sent the city into a frenzy
“The Sagara Pran Talamalala… marks 116 years since Swatantryaveer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar composed this iconic poem, with the waves of the sea as witness,” said Ameya Hete, a Mumbai-based businessman who conceptualised and organised the commemorative event and commissioned the statue
The Barcelona legend's 2.26 am touchdown in the early hours of Saturday sent the city into a frenzy
13 December,2025 01:23 PM IST | Kolkata | PTI“The Sagara Pran Talamalala… marks 116 years since Swatantryaveer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar composed this iconic poem, with the waves of the sea as witness,” said Ameya Hete, a Mumbai-based businessman who conceptualised and organised the commemorative event and commissioned the statue
13 December,2025 01:00 PM IST | Mumbai | Hemal AsharFootball legend Lionel Messi virtually unveiled a massive 70-foot statue at Sree Bhumi Sporting Club in Lake Town, Kolkata, during his GOAT Tour India 2025, drawing huge crowds and sparking celebrations among fans across the city
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During the ‘G.O.A.T. India Tour 2025’ event featuring Argentine football legend Lionel Messi at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) in Kolkata on Saturday, chaos erupted among fans. Frustrated spectators, many of whom had paid high ticket prices, expressed their displeasure after struggling to get a clear view of Messi. (PICS/ PTI)
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Around 30 lakh Census functionaries, including supervisors, master trainers, charge officers and district census officers, will be deployed. All of them will receive an honorarium for working on the Census alongside their regular duties
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