Bengal Sports Minister Resigns Over Chaos At Messi's Kolkata Stadium Event

The minister, in a handwritten letter to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, stated that he was stepping down to ensure a "free and fair investigation" into the incident.

West Bengal Sports Minister Aroop Biswas has resigned following the chaotic Messi event at Kolkata stadium.

Source : PTI

West Bengal Sports Minister and senior TMC leader Aroop Biswas has resigned from his ministry following the chaos and mismanagement at the Messi event at Salt Lake stadium in Kolkata on December 13. 

In a handwritten letter to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the state sports minister, who is under fire for the chaos, stated that he was stepping down to ensure a "free and fair investigation" into the incident.

Meanwhile, the Bengal government on Tuesdy issued a show-cause notice to DGP Rajeev Kumar, seeking an explanation over last week's chaotic Lionel Messi event at Salt Lake Stadium.

Acting on a probe panel's findings, authorities demanded answers within 24 hours for the massive lapses that sparked crowd frenzy, vandalism, and nearly Rs 2 crore in damage, according to a statement from the office of Chief Secretary Manoj Pant.

The government also served a similar notice on Bidhannagar Police Commissioner Mukesh Kumar, asking him to clarify the role and conduct of the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate in managing the event.

The football event witnessed large-scale chaos and vandalism by spectators inside the stadium premises on Saturday.

In addition, Bidhannagar Deputy Commissioner of Police Aneesh Sarkar was suspended, and departmental proceedings were initiated against him for alleged negligence of duty on the day of the event, the statement said.

Principal Secretary of the Youth Affairs and Sports Department Rajesh Kumar Sinha has also been issued a show-cause notice in connection with the lapses, while the services of Salt Lake Stadium Chief Executive Officer Deb Kumar Nandan have been withdrawn with immediate effect.

Based on the recommendations of the three-member probe committee headed by retired Justice Ashim Kumar Roy, the state government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising senior IPS officers Piyush Pandey, Javed Shamim, Supratim Sarkar, and Muralidhar to conduct a detailed investigation into the incident.

The mismanagement led to the premature termination of the marquee football event, forced the football superstar to leave the venue early, and caused damage to the stadium estimated at nearly Rs 2 crore.