During his visit, Bose urged the state government to develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) to prevent future occurrences of such lapses at large public events. Accompanied by Chief Secretary Manoj Pant and senior police officials, the governor assessed the arrangements at the stadium and took stock of the factors that contributed to the disorder.
Bose stated that strict action should be taken against all those accountable for the mismanagement, emphasizing that spectators who bought tickets should receive immediate refunds from the organizers.
The incident has already prompted police action, with Satadru Datta, the chief organizer of the Messi event, arrested by Bidhannagar Police on Saturday on charges linked to the mismanagement of the program.
Datta was apprehended at the Kolkata airport, where he was attending to Messi and his entourage as they departed for Hyderabad.
Bose indicated that he would submit a comprehensive report with recommendations to both the state and central governments after engaging with some of the victims.
“My report is nearly complete and will be forwarded to all relevant authorities,” he noted, refraining from disclosing its specifics.
The governor stressed the necessity for clear protocols for public events in the city, including insurance for attendees, as well as other immediate and long-term measures to avert such incidents in the future.
“When private entities are allowed to profit from sports, the public should not bear the consequences,” he stated following his on-site visit to the stadium.
Bose had been “denied” entry to Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday, after the disorder and crowd issues overshadowed Messi’s event. He found the gates closed and the stadium lights turned off upon his arrival.
The governor alleged that this action aimed to obstruct his entry and requested a thorough explanation.
Bose had previously referred to the occurrence at the Salt Lake stadium as a “dark day for the sports-loving people of Kolkata”.
What was anticipated to be a marquee football event devolved into extensive violence and chaos at the stadium on Saturday after Messi’s brief and tightly controlled appearance, his first at the venue since 2011, left many in the crowd feeling frustrated.
They were unable to catch a glimpse of their idol despite traveling from distant places and paying significant amounts for tickets.
Additionally, members of a high-level inquiry committee established by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also visited the stadium on Sunday to conduct their investigation.
This panel, led by retired Calcutta High Court judge Justice Ashim Kumar Ray, includes Chief Secretary Pant and Home Secretary Nandini Chakravorty as its members.
(With PTI inputs)
