Stay updated with the latest Other news, articles, and insights from trusted sources. Explore in-depth coverage and expert analysis on Other topics.
Kolkata: Police have arrested two people in connection with the incident at the Salt Lake Stadium, officially known as Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, during Lionel Messi's event on Saturday. A senior officer of Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate said on Monday that the two were arrested from the Nagerbazar area by officers of the South Bidhannagar police station. The arrested individuals have been identified as Gaurav Basu and Shubhrapratim Dey. According to police sources, these two were identified from CCTV footage of the vandalism at the Yuva Bharati Krirangan stadium. The police have registered an FIR against the arrested individuals under eight specific sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. These sections include charges of obstructing a government official from discharging their duty, intentionally injuring a government official, causing grievous hurt to a government official on duty and creating a nuisance. Additionally, FIRs have been registered under specific sections of the law for damaging government property and disturbing public peace. On Saturday, chaos erupted at the Yuva Bharati Krirangan stadium in Salt Lake, surrounding Lionel Messi's visit to Kolkata. Messi, Suarez, and Di Maria did visit the stadium, but they left after only about 22 minutes. During the time Messi and his teammates were at the stadium, they were surrounded by a large crowd, including state Sports Minister Aroop Biswas. Due to this crowd, the spectators in the stands could barely see Messi. As a result, after Messi and his teammates left the stadium, public anger erupted at the Yuva Bharati Krirangan. Following the rampage at the Yuva Bharati Krirangan, Satadru Dutta, the main organiser of Messi's Kolkata visit, was arrested from Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport on Saturday. The Bidhannagar police have registered a case against him on charges including inciting violence, causing injury, damaging property, obstructing government work and harassing government employees. The court has already ordered him to be remanded for 14 days of police custody. Meanwhile, the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate has summoned six people in connection with Saturday's incident. They are representatives of six different companies.
Kerala Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman on Saturday asserted that Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, will visit the state as announced by the government earlier, and that the sponsor has paid the match fee for the event. He said the World Cup winner is likely to come in October or November this year, and they would be treated as state guests. The government would meet their security, accommodation and other facilities. The news would come as a fresh ray of hope for football fans in one of India's surviving football hubs. Earlier, several media reports had claimed that Argentina's scheduled visit ...Read More >
Himachal Pradesh faced nature's fury. Bridges collapsed in Shimla, Lahaul, and Spiti. Cloudbursts and flash floods caused widespread damage. Over 300 roads closed, disrupting travel. A police post swept away, shops damaged. No casualties reported yet. Orange alert issued for more heavy rain. The state has suffered significant financial losses this monsoon. Many people have died in rain-related incidents. Several bridges were washed away in Shimla and Lahaul and Spiti districts, while over 300 roads, including two national highways, have been closed across Himachal Pradesh following fresh inci ...Read More >
New Delhi, Oct 2 (SocialNews.XYZ) As Lionel Messi's much-anticipated visit to India as part of the "GOAT Tour of India 2025 is confirmed, with the three-city tour set to kick off on December 13, the Argentine star recalled his last visit to the country 14 years ago and said he has "good memories of a very special country". The three-day tour from December 13 to 15 will feature Messi's appearances in Kolkata, Mumbai, and New Delhi, with a fourth city to be announced, tour's event manager said. This will be the Argentine great's first trip to India since 2011 when he visited the country with h ...Read More >
Kolkata: Lionel Messi on Thursday confirmed his participation in the much-anticipated GOAT Tour of India 2025, calling it an "honour" to revisit the "passionate football nation" country where he last played 14 years ago. "It is such an honour for me to make this trip. India is a very special country, and I have good memories from my time there 14 years ago -- the fans were fantastic. "India is a passionate football nation, and I look forward to meeting a new generation of fans while sharing the ...Read More >
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 14 (ANI): Argentine football legend Lionel Messi reached Mumbai for his "GOAT India Tour 2025". NCP-SCP MP Supriya Sule extended her best wishes to the fans and the people of Maharashtra, while stressing the importance of safety. "I wish them good luck, and I hope it all happens well and everybody who comes to see Messi is very safe," Sule told ANI. Also Read | Lionel Messi's GOAT India Tour: Promoter Satadru Dutta Sent to 14-Day Police Custody After Salt Lake Stadium Chaos. After a disappointing turn of events in Kolkata and a highly successful recept ...Read More >
Dumdum (West Bengal) [India], December 14 (ANI): Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy on Sunday said that the Chief Minister has appointed an inquiry committee to probe the mismanagement during Argentine footballer Lionel Messi's event at Salt Lake Stadium and added that it is not appropriate to comment on the matter until the panel submits its findings. "The Chief Minister has appointed an inquiry committee. The committee will find out anything (responsible). So it is not for us to comment on the matter. I condemn the BJP for bringing politics into a sports event," Roy told ANI. On Saturday, M ...Read More >
Kolkata: The unprecedented chaos and administrative lapses surrounding football icon Lionel Messi's Kolkata visit have triggered a sweeping political and bureaucratic shake-up in Bengal. Bowing to mounting public anger, sports minister Aroop Biswas resigned on Tuesday, owning what he called the "moral responsibility" for the fiasco at the Salt Lake Stadium. On the same day, the state government initiated some of its toughest-ever administrative action, issuing showcause notices to director-general of police Rajeev Kumar and Bidhannagar police commissioner Mukesh Kumar. The developments, anno ...Read More >
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], December 16 (ANI): West Bengal Sports Minister Aroop Biswas resigned from his post on Tuesday following the chaos that erupted during Footballer Messi's GOAT India Tour in Kolkata. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accepted Biswas' resignation earlier today. West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose had demanded the minister's resignation and action against all those in the Government who have "vicarious liability for the untoward incident." Earlier today, the West Bengal government also informed that a Special Investigation Team comprising IPS officers Piyush Pandey, J ...Read More >
New Delhi, Aug 3 (PTI) SpiceJet on Sunday said a senior Army officer, who was to board a flight to Delhi, assaulted four airline ground staffers at the Srinagar airport on July 26, causing a spinal fracture to one of them. An FIR has been registered with the local police and the airline has initiated the process to place the passenger on the no-fly list in accordance with civil aviation regulations, the airline said and added that the assault happened after the passenger was told to pay for the extra cabin baggage. Video clips of the incident shared on social media showed the passenger assau ...Read More >
Lionel Messi in Delhi, Check Full Schedule Today: Lionel Messi is all set to be in Delhi for the final leg of his ongoing GOAT India tour 2025. Having been in Kolkata, Hyderabad and Mumbai over the past couple of days, Messi will make his first-ever visit to the national capital on Monday, December 15. Rodrigo de Paul and Luis Suarez will also be with Messi as they have been in the other three venues. Messi's much-awaited visit to the iconic Arun Jaitley Stadium for multiple events is set to captivate thousands, featuring cameos from cricket legends and dignitaries. The former Barcelona and P ...Read More >
Kareena Kapoor met football legend Lionel Messi in Mumbai along with her sons Taimur and Jehangir Ali Khan during his GOAT India Tour 2025, with pictures and videos from the meet quickly going viral. The actress had earlier shared a glimpse of her boys gearing up to meet their idol, as Messi's visit sparked massive excitement among fans across the city. Football legend Lionel Messi arrived in Mumbai for his eagerly awaited GOAT India Tour 2025. Kareena Kapoor went to meet the football legend wit ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Lionel Messi G.O.A.T. India Tour that began in shambolic fashion ended in a blaze of glory as devotional fans joyously gathered to catch a glimpse of a man that does things on the field that are often beyond human comprehension. Most importantly, the much-publicised and anticipated event had the ending it wanted, after a chaotic beginning in Kolkata on the tour's first stop on Saturday.The thousands of heads totting the stands at Kotla, as well as the few Indian celebrities and dignitaries inside the ground, basked in the euphoria of hosting one of the world's most recognisable ...Read More >
Kolkata, Dec 14 (PTI) A day after chaos erupted during Argentine football icon Lionel Messi's event at Salt Lake stadium here, West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose on Sunday visited the venue for a first-hand inspection and called for a judicial inquiry. Bose also urged the government to frame standard operating procedures (SOPs) for managing such events in future. The governor, accompanied by Chief Secretary Manoj Pant and senior police officials, visited the venue for a first-hand assessment of the stadium chaos. He also said all those responsible for the chaos must be arrested and the or ...Read More >
Memories in midst of Madness: Dipendu Biswas, Syed Rahim Nabi get jerseys autographed IMAGE: Dipendu Biswas, who represented the Mohun Bagan Messi XI in the exhibition match against the Diamond Harbour Messi XI, was among the few who walked away with memories to cherish forever. Photograph: ANI Photo Lionel Messi's GOAT Tour began amid chaos and vandalism at the Salt Lake Stadium, but for former India players Dipendu Biswas and Syed Rahim Nabi, it still turned into the moment of a lifetime in K ...Read More >
Kolkata, Dec 16 (PTI) Senior TMC leader Kunal Ghosh on Tuesday said West Bengal Sports Minister Aroop Biswas has written to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, offering to resign from the post, amid mounting criticism over the mismanagement of the Lionel Messi event at the Salt Lake stadium last week. Sharing what he described as a copy of Biswas' letter on social media, Ghosh said the minister had requested the CM to relieve him of his responsibilities as sports minister in the wake of the controversy surrounding the December 13 event at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, popularly known as ...Read More >
Kolkata, Dec 16 (PTI) Senior TMC leader Kunal Ghosh on Tuesday said West Bengal Sports Minister Aroop Biswas has written to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, seeking relief from the charge of the sports department, amid mounting criticism over the mismanagement of the Lionel Messi event at the Salt Lake stadium last week. Sharing what he described as a copy of Biswas's letter on social media, Ghosh said the minister had requested the CM to relieve him of his responsibilities as sports minister in the wake of the controversy surrounding the December 13 event at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krira ...Read More >
The 134th Durand Cup Organising Committee announced free public entry for all matches in Jamshedpu at the JRD Tata Sports Complex. The Durand Cup Organising Committee (DCOC) of the 134th Durand Cup has officially announced free public entry for all matches in Jamshedpur, starting with a full-capacity opening match at the JRD Tata Sports Complex. All 22,500 seats will be made available through complimentary passes, ensuring an inclusive and festive start to Asia's oldest football tournament. Thi ...Read More >
Messi Kolkata Event Chaos: West Bengal Sports Minister and senior TMC leader Aroop Biswas resigned from his position in a letter to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee following the mismanagement at Lionel Messi's event on December 13, 2025. The Minister had been the main target of criticism from all quarters, including civil society and opposition parties, over the chaos at Salt Lake Stadium last week. Biswas on Tuesday submitted his resignation, taking moral responsibility for the lapses in management in the event featuring Argentine football star Messi. Chief Minister Banerjee has accepted hi ...Read More >
Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], December 16 (ANI): Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday led an Anti-Chitta Awareness Walkathon in Hamirpur, energising a statewide public movement against the deadly synthetic drug that is devastating the youth. Commencing from the Government Senior Secondary School (Boys), Hamirpur, the walkathon concluded at the Police Lines Dosadka Ground. The event drew an overwhelming response from all sections of society, including students, public representatives, government officials and distinguished guests. Also Read | Hyderabad Shocke ...Read More >
Kolkata, Dec 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday accepted the resignation of state Sports Minister Aroop Biswas, who took moral responsibility for the lapses in management in the event featuring Argentine football star Lionel Messi at the Salt Lake Stadium here. In his handwritten resignation letter in Bengali, Biswas claimed that since the Chief Minister had formed a probe committee headed by a retired judge of the Calcutta High Court, he is resigning as state Sports Minister for the sake of impartiality of the investigation to be carried out by it. "I ...Read More >
The Athletic FC ⚽ is The Athletic's daily football (or soccer, if you prefer) newsletter.Sign up to receive it directly to your inbox. Hello! Lionel Messi and a GOAT tour to India. What could possibly go wrong? He's a week on from winning MLS Cup with Inter Miami after three years of trying. His run to the final generated record TV viewing figures. He's headed towards his sixth World Cup, and despite his modesty, there's not a chance that he misses it, unless his body gives out. First stop f ...Read More >
Messi landed in Kolkata at 01:30 local time. Thousands lined the roads and congregated outside his hotel to catch a glimpse of him. The day began with the meet-and-greet ticket holders first up from 09:00 to 10:30. Then the day took a strange twist. A 70ft statue of Messi lifting the World Cup was unveiled by the former Barcelona icon. But he was not present - it was a virtual unveiling. He was on a video screen and pressed a button on a remote control. At this point a blue sheet dropped to r ...Read More >
Kolkata, Dec 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) Confusion over claims and counter claims on who provided security to football legend Lionel Messi during his visit to Kolkata late last week which ended in fans storming the pitch and indulging in vandalism after failing to see him properly. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) on Tuesday rejected the claim made by West Bengal Minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay that it had provided security cover to the footballer. The official account of CISF in an X post said, "It is hereby clarified that the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) did not provide an ...Read More >
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], December 16 (ANI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has taken charge of the state's sports ministry, following the resignation of cabinet minister Aroop Biswas, who stepped down from his role amid a probe into the chaos that erupted during Lionel Messi's appearance at a Kolkata stadium. Accepting her minister's resignation, an official statement from the CM read that "until and unless the impartial inquiry is over, the Sports Department will be looked after by me for the time being." Also Read | 'Electricity Is a Basic Necessity': Delhi High Court Dir ...Read More >
Kolkata Messi Event 'Mess' Fallout: The fallout from the West Bengal Messi event continues to unfold. TMC leader Kunal Ghosh has claimed that Sports Minister Arup Biswas has resigned, though sources say the resignation is yet to be accepted. Meanwhile, DGP Rajeev Kumar has issued show-cause notices to both the Sports Secretary and senior officials. In a major action, Bidhannagar DCP Aneesh Sarkar has been suspended as accountability measures intensify. Watch the video to know more. ...Read More >
Kolkata, Dec 16 (PTI) Two days after widespread spectator rampage marred a marquee football event featuring Argentine legend Lionel Messi at the Salt Lake stadium, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday accepted the sports minister's resignation, while the state government show-caused the DGP and other senior officers, and suspended a deputy commissioner. A resignation letter written to Banerjee by Sports Minister Aroop Biswas, who has remained in the eye of the storm since the stadium fiasco for his proximity to Messi and his entourage on the pitch allegedly blocking view from galleries, ...Read More >
Kolkata, May 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) A single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court, on Friday, barred the Bidhannagar Police from taking any coercive action, including arrest, against "untainted" or "genuine" teachers who have been named in FIRs for protesting in front of the state education department headquarters. The teachers have been protesting after losing their jobs following a Supreme Court order last month. These teachers, both in secondary and higher secondary sections, have been protesting in front of the state education department headquarters, demanding immediate publication of th ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: A full blown political showdown ensued on the streets of Kolkata after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday sent its fact-finding team over an alleged gangrape case of a 24-year-old law student inside South Calcutta Law College premises.While Trinamool Congress played down BJP's 4 member fact-finding team as "political tourists", BJP claimed that the incidents happening in West Bengal have a pattern and crime in the state has been increasing even after having a woman as the chief minister.Here are the top developmentsBJP team reaches KolkataBJP's fact-checking team, including form ...Read More >
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], July 17 (ANI): The 134th Durand Cup Organizing Committee (DCOC) announced that the total cash prize money pool of this year tournament will increase three times to ₹3 Crore. The announcement was made during the trophy unveiling ceremony in Kolkata as the City of Joy geared up to host Asia oldest football tournament. Along with the winners and runners up, teams reaching the semi-finals and quarterfinals along with three individual awards will also receive a share of the prize pool, as per a release from Durand Cup. The three trophies of the Durand Cup were showca ...Read More >
Kolkata: The 134th Durand Cup Organizing Committee announced that the total cash prize money pool of this year's tournament will increase three times to Rs 3 crore. This year IndianOil Durand cup, oldest in Asia, will kick off on July 23 and will be played in five states-Assam, Meghalaya, Shillong, Bengal and Jharkhand. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will be present at the grand finale on August 23. Lt Gen Mohit Malhotra AVSM, SM, Chief of Staff HQ Eastern Command and Chairman Durand Cup Organising Committee, said, "I am delighted to announce that this year the tournament has sign ...Read More >