From glory to ruin: Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium’s history of controversies

“Preliminary estimated financial loss stands at approximately Rs 2.5 crore. Chairs, synthetic running track, iron fences, gates, and high-end technical equipment including LED screens and speakers have been vandalised,” said a Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate official.

Booing escalated into chaos as water bottles rained down and bucket seats were ripped out and hurled onto the turf. ((Express Photo: Partha Paul)

Inaugurated in 1984 by the then-West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu, the stadium was once one of the largest in the world, holding 1,20,000 spectators.

Between 2015 and 2017, the stadium underwent a ₹100-126 crore makeover for the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup, featuring modern bucket seats, Riviera Bermuda natural grass and luxury amenities like ice baths.

However, fans, frustrated by poor event management and lack of Messi access, defiled the stadium’s “crown” in mere hours. The sports infrastructure, once a symbol of pride, was ravaged.

“The vandalism was a reaction of fans who aren’t used to paying Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 only to be disappointed,” said Uttam Saha, founder secretary of the Argentina Fan Club.

Saha labeled the incident an “administrative failure,” alleging that while fans were reaching a breaking point, security personnel were distracted.

“In Western countries, police watch the audience. Here, IPS officers were busy taking selfies. Money can renovate the stadium again, but what will never come back is the emotional trust of the fans who left without seeing their God.”

As dust settles on the uprooted chairs and fences of the stadium, now the immediate focus remains on the repair bill and the looming renovation work.

The much-hyped unveiling of Messi’s 70-foot statue fizzled out, with the star inaugurating it virtually from his hotel amid chaotic scenes. (Express Photo: Partha Paul)

“The deeper cost lies in the damage to Kolkata’s reputation as a world-class sporting host. The Salt Lake Stadium will eventually regain its gleam funded by public money and rebuilt with new seats but the memory of a night where passion turned into a “cathedral” of ruins will linger. For a city that breathes football, the challenge now is not just to fix the fixtures, but to ensure that Kolkata again sees its love for the game despite the recent administrative- police failure and heartbreak,” said a former football player on condition of anonymity.

This is not the first such incident in the history of West Bengal sports.

A tragic 1980 incident marred the stadium’s history when 16 people died in a stampede during a Mohun Bagan vs East Bengal match at the Eden Gardens. Poor crowd segregation and inadequate policing led to chaos, with fans jumping from upper tiers to escape clashes.

In the 1996 Cricket World Cup at Eden Gardens, India’s collapse vs Sri Lanka sparked a riot. Water bottles rained onto the pitch, forcing match referee Clive Lloyd to award the match to Sri Lanka, leaving Vinod Kambli in tears.

Violence erupted between players during the 2007 IFA final between Palmeiras and East Bengal. The Brazilian team walked off the pitch just 35 minutes in, refusing to return.

Three decades after the 1980 tragedy, a match was cancelled after Mohun Bagan fans hurled stones onto the pitch and struck their own player, Syed Rahim Nabi, leaving 40 other people injured.