Chaos unfolded at the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday when angry football fans, desperate for a glimpse of Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi, resorted to vandalism and violence. What should have been a celebration of football descended into disorder.
For Kolkata, this was not an isolated incident. The city’s sporting culture is legendary. But history shows that when crowd management falters and situations spiral out of control, passion can quickly tip into tragedy. Here are five such incidents that have marred the City of Joy.
1967: India vs West Indies Test
Kolkata witnessed its first serious crowd-related controversy during the India-West Indies Test match in 1967. India were trailing 0-1 in the series, and expectations were sky high among cricket fans for the Indian side to script a comeback against Sir Gary Sobers’s West Indies team.
With fake and duplicate tickets freely circulating in the black market, a stadium designed for around 60,000 spectators ended up hosting more than 80,000 fans. The crowd spilled onto the field, outnumbering the police. What followed was utter chaos.
1980: Mohun Bagan vs East Bengal Derby
The darkest chapter in Kolkata’s sporting history unfolded during a Kolkata Derby in 1980. Football in Bengal is more than entertainment and transforms into a battle of identity. The Bangal-Ghoti rivalry associated with Mohun Bagan and East Bengal had reached fever pitch on this day.
Traditionally, fans of Mohun Bagan and East Bengal were seated separately in stands. That day, they were not. With no segregation and inadequate policing, clashes erupted in the stands. Fans ran toward narrow exits. Some jumped from upper tiers onto concrete floors to escape. The resulting stampede and riot killed 16 people.
1996: India vs Sri Lanka World Cup Cricket Semi-Final
Eden Gardens was again at the centre of a global tragedy during the 1996 Cricket World Cup semi-final. Chasing 252, India were 98 for 2 and headed for a collapse. Sachin Tendulkar’s dismissal at the hands of Sanath Jayasuriya proved to be a flash point for the mob.
As wickets fell in quick succession, and India slumped to 120 for 8, the viewers channelised their disappointment into fury. Water bottles were hurled onto the field, forcing match referee Clive Lloyd to award the game to Sri Lanka. The image of Vinod Kambli walking off in tears remains etched in history even today.
2007: IFA Shield Final abandoned
Chaos ruled during the 107th IFA Shield final at the Salt Lake Stadium in 2007. Palmeiras were leading East Bengal 1-0 when violence broke out between players. Brazilian coach Humberto Ferreira led his team off the field just 35 minutes into the first half, refusing to continue. Despite frantic negotiations, the match was abandoned.
2012: Mohun Bagan vs East Bengal Derby turns violent
Three decades after the 1980 tragedy, the Kolkata Derby again descended into disorder in 2012. The tightly contested match took a turn after Harmanjot Khabra headed East Bengal into the lead just before halftime.
Tensions escalated when Odafa was sent off for manhandling the referee. Enraged Mohun Bagan supporters then began hurling stones from the gallery. In a cruel twist, one of those stones struck their own player, Nabi, on the head.
Mohun Bagan walked off the field, citing security concerns, and refused to return even though East Bengal were ready to continue. The match was later declared cancelled. Forty spectators were reported injured.
