Lionel Messi’s tour of India kicked off chaotically on Saturday as fans threw objects, ripped up seats and invaded the pitch at Kolkata’s Salt Lake stadium after the Argentine soccer great made only a brief appearance at a ticketed event.

Satadru Dutta, the event’s chief organiser, has been detained by police, said Rajeev Kumar, director general of West Bengal police, Reuters reported.

Messi was scheduled for a 45-minute visit to the stadium, but his appearance lasted just 20 minutes. Tickets for the event were priced from around 3,500 rupees ($38.65) – more than half of average weekly income in India – but one fan said he had paid $130.

Fans in the Salt Lake stadium in the capital of the Eastern state of West Bengal threw ripped-up seats and other objects onto the field, while several people climbed a fence around the field and hurled objects.

“I can’t believe there was so much mismanagement,” said Eddie Lal Hmangaihzuala, who had travelled nearly 1,500 km from Mizoram over two days to attend the event.

“Messi left quickly, I think he felt unsafe. I hardly got a glimpse of him,” he told Reuters.

The organisers of the tour did not immediately respond to a request for a comment.

“We’ve already detained the main organiser,” Rajeev Kumar told reporters. “We’re taking action so that this mismanagement does not go unpunished.

“He has already pledged in writing that tickets sold for the event should be refunded,” he added.

CHIEF MINISTER APOLOGISES, ORDERS PROBE

Messi is in India as part of a tour during which he is scheduled to attend concerts, youth football clinics and a padel tournament, and to launch charitable initiatives at events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi.

The chief minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, apologised to Messi and ordered a probe into the incident.

“I am deeply disturbed and shocked by the mismanagement witnessed today at Salt Lake stadium,” Banerjee, who was on her way to the event when chaos broke out, posted on X.

“I sincerely apologise to Lionel Messi, as well as to all sports lovers and his fans, for the unfortunate incident,” she said.

She said she was constituting a committee to conduct a detailed enquiry into the incident, assign responsibility, and recommend measures to prevent such occurrences in the future.

West Bengal, Kerala and Goa states have long had large soccer followings in otherwise cricket-crazed India.

Multiple incidents of fan riots have taken place at Salt Lake stadium, including during a Kolkata derby match between East Bengal and Mohun Bagan in 2012 which was abandoned after a brick thrown from the stands hit a player, seriously injuring him.

Argentine soccer great Diego Maradona twice visited Kolkata, and in 2017 unveiled a statue there of himself holding the World Cup in the presence of thousands of fans.

Messi, who captained Argentina for the first time in a friendly match at the Salt Lake stadium in a 1-0 win over Venezuela in 2011, virtually unveiled a 70-foot statue of himself in Kolkata earlier on Saturday.

Mohammad Yaqub Mujahid, Minister of Defense of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has emphasized the importance of acquiring both religious and contemporary knowledge.

Speaking at a madrasa graduation ceremony in Kandahar province, he urged communities to support schools and education, stating: “Do not let your children remain uneducated. Pursue all forms of knowledge, both modern and religious.”

He added that the Islamic Emirate is committed to serving the people, with some forces protecting the borders and others safeguarding lives and property.

Separately, in a voice message to a separate ceremony in Khost, Mullah Tajmir Jawad, First Deputy of the General Directorate of Intelligence, highlighted Afghanistan’s historical role as a center of religious and scholarly learning, influenced by the Transoxiana and Deoband schools of thought.

He noted that today, Afghanistan has tens of thousands of active madrassas, educating a large number of youth, and that the Islamic Emirate gives special attention to both religious and modern sciences.

He said that the Islamic Emirate is also focused on reforming madrasa curricula, improving teaching methods, maintaining discipline, and raising the overall quality of education.

Shayan Jahangir’s brilliant 99 underpinned a hard-fought nine-run victory for the Dubai Capitals over the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Saturday, as the Capitals held their nerve to claim their second win of the season.

After early setbacks, the Capitals recovered through a defining 115-run partnership between Jahangir and Jordan Cox. Jahangir anchored the innings with a commanding knock, striking 10 fours and five sixes before falling agonisingly short of a century, guiding his side to a formidable 196/5. His innings marked the highest score by an associate player in the history of the DP World ILT20.

In reply, the Knight Riders struggled to keep pace as wickets fell at regular intervals. Phil Salt provided an early spark with 33, but a series of breakthroughs left the hosts on the back foot. Waqar Salamkheil played a key role with the ball, while disciplined fielding further stalled the chase.

Andre Russell threatened to turn the contest on its head with a powerful unbeaten 53 off 33 balls, sharing a rapid stand with Jason Holder that briefly reignited hopes. However, the Capitals’ bowlers kept their composure at the death, with Muhammad Jawadullah successfully defending 26 runs in the final over to seal the victory.

Earlier, the Capitals had been reduced to 4/2 inside the powerplay before Jahangir and Cox rebuilt the innings. Jahangir accelerated through the middle overs, reaching his half-century with a towering six and maintaining pressure on the Knight Riders’ attack. He later combined with Rovman Powell, who chipped in with an unbeaten 38, to add valuable late runs.

Jahangir was named Player of the Match and said he was proud to contribute to the win and represent USA cricket on the ILT20 stage. Dubai Capitals skipper Dasun Shanaka praised Jahangir’s resilience and character after a challenging start to the innings.

Cricket fans across Afghanistan can meanwhile tune in to Ariana Television today, Sunday December 14, from 2pm to watch the next match.

Two matches are scheduled, with MI Emirates taking on Sharjah Warriors in the first game at 2pm. The second match of the day will see Desert Vipers take on Dubai Capitals from 6.30pm.