West Bengal Sports Minister Resigns Amid Messi Tour Chaos

Resignation Following Messi's Tour Incident

On Tuesday, Aroop Biswas, the Sports Minister of West Bengal, stepped down from his position after significant disorder occurred during the GOAT India Tour featuring football superstar Lionel Messi in Kolkata. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accepted his resignation earlier today. The state's Governor, CV Ananda Bose, had called for Biswas' resignation and demanded accountability from all government officials involved in the incident.

High-Level Investigation Initiated

In response to the chaos, the West Bengal government announced the formation of a Special Investigation Team. This team includes IPS officers Piyush Pandey, Javed Shamim, Supratim Sarkar, and Muralidhar, tasked with conducting a comprehensive inquiry into the events. Additionally, the government has issued a notice to Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar, requiring him to explain within 24 hours the reasons behind the mismanagement and lack of coordination with relevant stakeholders, including the private event organizer.

Police Officials Under Investigation

The Chief Secretary has stated that Mukesh Kumar, the Commissioner of Police Bidhannagar, has received a show-cause notice, demanding a response within 24 hours regarding the police's role in managing the event. Furthermore, departmental action has been initiated against Aneesh Sarkar (IPS), the Deputy Commissioner of Police, for alleged negligence during the event.

CEO of Stadium Dismissed

The state government has also terminated the services of Deb Kumar Nandan, the CEO of Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan (VYBK), due to his involvement in the mismanagement of the event.

Event Turns Chaotic

The Kolkata segment of Messi's GOAT Tour 2025 was marred by chaos when fans, frustrated by the event's poor management, began throwing bottles and attempting to breach gates after Messi left prematurely. Many fans expressed their anger through vandalism, claiming that VIPs and politicians monopolized the football star's time, preventing them from even catching a glimpse of him.

Following the tour, Messi visited the Vantara animal sanctuary and departed from Jamnagar, concluding his journey after stops in Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi.