PWD workers shift a statue of Argentine footballer Lionel Messi on a trailer, in Kolkata, on June 1, 2026.
| Photo Credit: PTI
A 70-ft.-high statue of Argentinian football legend Lionel Messi, installed by the previous Trinamool Congress government in 2025 in Kolkata’s Lake Town area, was on Monday (June 1, 2026) removed by the State’s Public Works Department (PWD).The move by the newly elected Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government came after local residents expressed concerns over safety as the statue was seen swaying in the wind. PWD officials have been regularly inspecting the venue, which is next to Eastern Metropolitan bypass, over the past few days, and had tied ropes to prevent the statue from falling.The removal of the statue comes days after the West Bengal government on May 23 took down another football-themed sculpture designed by former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and installed outside the Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan stadium in the Salt Lake area. The Messi statue was found to be structurally unstable after a recent storm in the city, officials said. The authorities dismantled it from its pedestal on Monday, and loaded onto a truck using a hydraulic crane, without any damage. The statue would now remain in the PWD’s custody, they added, till a decision was taken on whether it should be re-installed. The statue was unveiled by Mr. Messi himself on December 13, 2025 during his visit in the city as part of the G.O.A.T India promotional tour. Former Trinamool Congress Minister Sujit Bose conceived the idea and unveiled the statue. Mr. Bose, who lost in the recently concluded Assembly election, was arrested a few days ago for his alleged role in the municipal recruitment scam.A major controversy had erupted over Mr. Messi’s visit to Kolkata after violence erupted in the Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Stadium in Salt Lake as spectators were upset over his brief public appearance. The football legend, along with his colleagues Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the stadium at around 11.30 a.m., when a group of 70 to 80 people, including the then Sports Minister Aroop Biswas, and some legislators, film actors, and representatives of local football clubs, surrounded him for autographs and photos. As a result, the gathered spectators were unable to see the celebrities from the galleries, which enraged them. Mr. Messi was taken out by 11.52 a.m.The incident caused significant embarrassment to the Trinamool Congress government, and the police arrested the organiser, Shatadru Dutta. With the change in the regime in the State, questions are being raised over the role of the then Sports Minister. Mr. Dutta lodged a First Information Report against Mr. Biswas on Sunday (May 31, 2026) at the Bidhannagar South police station, alleging that over 22,000 tickets had been forcefully taken from the organisers and sold in the black market by the former Minister and his agents. Published - June 01, 2026 10:26 pm IST
