Bengal unveils higher education roadmap, relief for state-aided college teachers
The state currently has around 13,000 State Aided College Teachers, of whom nearly 55 per cent belong to the SACT-II category.
Satadru Dutta, the promoter and main organiser of Lionel Messi’s “G.O.A.T. Tour of India 2025,” was arrested on Saturday following chaos that erupted after the Argentine football icon’s visit to Kolkata ended in disappointment for fans.
Confirming the arrest, Additional Director General (ADG) Law and Order Jawed Shamim said action had been taken after the situation at Salt Lake Stadium spiralled out of control. He said, “There is normalcy now. The second part is the investigation; the FIR has been lodged, and the chief organiser has been arrested… I’m telling you, they (organisers) are promising they will return (ticket fee to fans). We will see how it can be done.”
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Kolkata, West Bengal: ADG Law and Order Jawed Shamim says, “He (the main organiser of the Lionel Messi event) has been arrested…” pic.x.com/quzfuCEgxQ
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— IANS (@ians_india) December 13, 2025
The Promoter Behind Messi’s Visit
Satadru Dutta was the chief architect behind Messi’s much-anticipated visit to Kolkata, which was part of a privately organised tour. In earlier statements, Dutta had expressed excitement over the event, calling it a historic moment for Indian football.
Dutta had said ahead of the visit, “There’s a great atmosphere of joy that Messi is coming to India after 14 years… It’s also good for the fans, an opportunity to see Messi. We don’t think he’ll come back again…Football’s connection to India is growing again. Never before have so many sponsors come to Indian football…”
He also highlighted that other Argentine stars such as Rodrigo de Paul and Luis Suárez were expected to be part of the tour, saying Messi’s arrival would help create a “positive footballing ecosystem” in India.
#WATCH | Kolkata, West Bengal | Promoter and organiser of the G.O.A.T India Tour 2025, Satadru Dutta says, “… There’s a great atmosphere of joy that Messi is coming to India after 14 years… It’s also good for the fans, an opportunity to see Messi. We don’t think he’ll come… pic.x.com/ySzfyKI3tb
— ANI (@ANI) December 13, 2025
No AIFF Involvement
In October, Dutta had clarified that the event was organised independently and had no involvement from the All India Football Federation (AIFF). “This is a private event. AIFF is a big organisation and runs according to its own policies. I am tying up in my private capacity,” he had said.
The AIFF has also issued a statement reiterating that the Kolkata event was organised by a private PR agency and that the federation had no role in the planning or execution of the programme. The federation stressed that safety, security, and crowd management must be top priorities for high-profile events.
Fans’ Hopes Dashed
Messi’s Kolkata leg of the GOAT Tour descended into chaos after he left the stadium much earlier than expected, triggering anger and disappointment among fans who had gathered in large numbers.
The emotional investment of supporters was evident across the state. In Barrackpore, tea stall owner Shib Shankar Patra — a lifelong Argentina supporter — had painted his home and stall in Argentina’s blue-and-white colours and adorned them with pictures of Messi.
Ahead of the event, he had also thanked Satadru Dutta for organising the event. He said, “I will be meeting Lionel Messi tomorrow (in Kolkata), I thank Satadru Dutta for bringing him to India…I wanted to meet him for so long….For me, Messi is the god of football.”
For many fans like Patra, the abrupt end to the event shattered long-held dreams, turning what was expected to be a celebration of football into a night of frustration and unrest.
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