West Bengal Sports Minister Aroop Biswas resigned on Tuesday, December 16, days after chaos broke out during Lionel Messi’s exhibition match in Kolkata on December 13.
In a handwritten letter addressed to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Biswas said he was stepping down to facilitate a free and impartial probe into the incident. He had come under sharp criticism for the disorder at the event.
Messi, the Argentine football icon, was scheduled to appear in an exhibition match at Salt Lake Stadium. However, he was escorted out shortly after arriving as the situation inside the venue spiralled out of control. Angry fans, upset over the event’s cancellation and their inability to see the player, vandalised parts of the stadium.
The turmoil prompted the World Cup-winning captain to leave the ground early.
Meanwhile, police arrested the chief organiser, Satadru Datta, on Dec. 13 on charges of mismanagement and public disorder. He was remanded to 14 days’ judicial custody the following day.
Datta was taken into custody by Bidhannagar Police from Kolkata airport, where he had gone to see off Messi and his team as they departed for Hyderabad.
An FIR has been registered in connection with the incident, police said.
