Kolkata, December 13 (NationPress) Amidst turmoil and disorder at Salt Lake Stadium located in the northern part of Kolkata on Saturday, triggered by steep ticket costs and restricted access to Argentinian football icon Lionel Messi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee declared the formation of a judicial committee to investigate the mismanagement that incited the unrest.

Frustrated fans, angered by the limited access to Messi despite having paid high prices for tickets, created a ruckus within the stadium. In response, law enforcement initiated a significant lathi charge and called in the Rapid Action Force (RAF), leading to Messi departing the stadium prematurely.

As the Chief Minister was en route to the stadium, she received alerts about the disturbances and quickly instructed her driver to return. She subsequently issued a statement revealing her decision to establish the judicial committee, which will be led by a retired judge of the Calcutta High Court.

“I am profoundly troubled and appalled by the mismanagement observed today at Salt Lake Stadium. I was heading to the stadium to join thousands of sports enthusiasts eager to see their beloved footballer, Lionel Messi. I extend my sincere apologies to Messi and all sports aficionados for the regrettable incident,” the Chief Minister expressed in her social media message.

In her announcement regarding the investigative committee, she specified that it will be chaired by Justice (Retd) Ashim Kumar Ray. The committee will also include state chief secretary Manoj Pant and additional secretary of the home and hill affairs department, Nandini Chakraborty, as its members.

“The committee will carry out a thorough investigation into the incident, assign accountability, and propose strategies to avert such incidents in the future. Once again, I extend my heartfelt apologies to all sports enthusiasts,” the Chief Minister added.