In a significant development following the chaotic scenes during football legend Lionel Messi's visit to Kolkata, West Bengal Sports Minister Aroop Biswas has resigned from his post. The minister stepped down, citing the need for an "unbiased investigation" into the December 13 fiasco at the Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan (Salt Lake Stadium).
Minister Steps Aside for Fair Probe
According to sources within the state administration, Aroop Biswas submitted his resignation to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday, December 16, 2025. In his letter, Biswas referenced the investigation team already formed by the Chief Minister and stated that his resignation was necessary to ensure the probe remains impartial. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will now personally look after the sports department until the investigation concludes, the sources confirmed.
The decision came after a meeting where Banerjee expressed strong displeasure over the mismanagement during the high-profile event. She reportedly advised her cabinet colleagues and officials to be extra vigilant during VVIP movements at such programmes. Sources from the Chief Minister's Office indicated that Banerjee was "very angry" about the entire incident.
Show-Cause Notices and Arrests Follow Stadium Rampage
In the aftermath, the state administration has initiated strict action against several officials. The Chief Secretary's office has issued show-cause notices to Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar, Bidhannagar Police Commissioner Mukesh Kumar, and Principal Secretary of the Sports Department Rajesh Sinha.
More direct punitive measures have also been taken. The CEO of Salt Lake Stadium, Dev Kumar Nandan, has been removed from his position. Furthermore, departmental proceedings have been started against Bidhannagar DCP Aneesh Sarkar. The primary organiser of Messi's West Bengal tour, Satadru Dutta, was arrested on Saturday, December 14, and a district court remanded him to police custody for two weeks the following day.
Recap of the Chaotic Event
The incident that triggered this political and administrative storm occurred on December 13, during Lionel Messi's "GOAT (Greatest of All Time) Tour 2025". The Argentine icon's visit to the Salt Lake Stadium lasted merely 22 minutes, leaving thousands of fans, who had been waiting since early morning, frustrated and angry.
The disappointment boiled over into violence, with spectators allegedly hurling water bottles at police personnel and attempting to set property on fire. Parts of the stadium, including nets from the goalposts and chairs from the stands, were damaged in the rampage. The tour's Kolkata leg had already begun under a cloud, with Messi unveiling a 70-foot statue of himself virtually due to security concerns.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had publicly apologised for the chaos on Saturday and ordered an enquiry by a three-member committee headed by retired Calcutta High Court judge Ashim Kumar Roy. She also apologised to Messi and football fans on social media. The incident has also sparked a political blame game, with the ruling Trinamool Congress and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party accusing each other of being responsible for the violence.
