FLASH
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Lionel Messi's tour of India began in chaotic fashion, as fans threw objects, smashed chairs and invaded the pitch after he appeared briefly, protected by a large group of people.
Fans at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata threw stadium seats and other objects onto the pitch, while some people climbed a fence around the pitch and threw objects after a performance that lasted just 20 minutes.
Messi is in India as part of a tour during which he is scheduled to attend concerts, youth soccer clinics, a padel tournament and launch charity initiatives at events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi.
"Only leaders and actors surrounded Messi," a fan told news agency ANI, adding that we got a ticket for 12,000 rupees (120 euros), but we didn't even get to see his face."
Organizers of the Argentina and Inter Miami forward's tour of India did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
West Bengal state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee apologized to Messi and ordered an investigation into the incident.
"I am deeply concerned and shocked by the mismanagement seen today at the Salt Lake Stadium," Banerjee, who was on her way to the event when the chaos erupted, wrote on social media.
Messi, who played in a friendly match at Salt Lake Stadium in 2011 in which Argentina beat Venezuela 1-0, virtually unveiled a 22-meter-tall statue of himself in Kolkata on Saturday.
The states of West Bengal, Kerala and Goa have long had a large football following. Diego Maradona visited Kolkata twice and in 2017 unveiled a statue of himself holding the World Cup in front of thousands of fans.
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