SIT begins probe into vandalism at Messi event at Salt Lake stadium

Kolkata, Dec 17 (PTI) A Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the West Bengal government on Wednesday began its investigation into the vandalism at Argentine football star Lionel Messi’s event at the Salt Lake stadium here last week, an official said.

The team, comprising senior IPS officers Piyush Pandey, Javed Shamim, Supratim Sarkar and Muralidhar, visited the stadium and later went to the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate office nearby.

A team of forensic officers and the detective department also went to the stadium later to collect evidence.

"They also videographed the entire stadium and collected samples from the stadium, the stands," the officer said.

Bidhannagar police apprehended one more person in connection with the vandalism at the stadium, taking the total number of arrests to six, an officer said.

The accused, Rupak Mondal, a resident of Chingrighata along EM Bypass, was identified through CCTV camera footage.

"We are talking to him and trying to find out the reason behind his act of vandalism at the stadium," the officer added.

The main organiser of Saturday's programme, Shatadru Dutta, was arrested first.

Meanwhile, the state government has received replies to show-cause notices from various officers, according to a senior official.

On Tuesday, the government show-caused senior police officers, including the DGP, over alleged mismanagement at the Salt Lake stadium.

The state government's actions came following the recommendations of the probe panel constituted to investigate the chaos at the Salt Lake football stadium.

Violence erupted on December 13 at the stadium after Messi's premature exit. Spectators, many of whom had bought high-priced tickets, alleged they could not see Messi, who, along with Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul, remained on the field for about 20 minutes but was surrounded by a crowd, including state minister Aroop Biswas.

After the players left, angry fans accused organisers of mismanagement and went on a rampage, tearing hoardings, hurling bottles, damaging gallery chairs and breaking fences before entering the field. PTI SCH MNB NN