A 70-foot-tall statue of Messi was removed in Kolkata. The footballer himself inaugurated it 6 months ago

A 70-feet tall statue of legendary footballer Lionel Messi in Kolkata's Lake Town area was removed on Monday. There were complaints of statue being shaken in the recent storm. Keeping in mind the security concerns, the administration decided to remove him. PWD (Public Works Department) officials separated the statue from its base with the help of a hydraulic crane. He was then safely put on a truck and transported to another place. There was no damage to the statue in the removal process. The statue was installed in December last year. It was inaugurated during Messi's visit to Kolkata at that time. Messi unveiled the statue via remote control. According to media reports, the statue was built at a cost of about Rs 10 crore. The statue was made of iron and fibre. It was ready in just 40 days. 4 Pictures of the Statue Removal A few days ago, locals had told the police that the statue started shaking due to bad weather and strong winds. After receiving the complaint, the police and PWD got it investigated. During the investigation, the contractor said that there was a technical fault in the foundation bolts attached to the foundation of the statue. He warned that the statue was no longer safe and could fall. After this, the administration immediately decided to remove him. The statue is currently protected under the supervision of the PWD. The state government is yet to decide where it will be set up again. However, there is talk that it could be set up in Rabindra Sarovar or Eco Park in the future. The project was started by former minister in the West Bengal government Sujit Bose. Recently, he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a case related to the municipal recruitment scam. In December last year, football legend Lionel Messi came to India after 14 years. During this time, he inaugurated a 70 feet statue of himself at Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata on December 13, 2025. Messi arrived with his teammates Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul. Messi stayed in the stadium for only a few minutes and returned amid heavy security. This upset the fans. Angry fans started shouting in the stadium. Some angry fans threw chairs and stormed the ground. May 23: The Bengal government demolishes a statue designed by Mamata Banerjee outside the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. It was designed by former chief minister Mamata Banerjee. It was set up ahead of the FIFA U-17 World Cup in West Bengal in 2017. At that time, Rs 100 crore was spent on the upgradation of the Salt Lake Stadium. The statue, installed in front of the VVIP gate of the stadium, had footballs made on the 2 legs of the player wearing football boots. The statue also had a football above the waist. The TMC government's branding slogan 'Biswa Bangla' was written on the statue. Below it was written: Concept and Design by Mamata Banerjee. The statue has been embroiled in controversies since its installation. The BJP was opposing it. CM Suvendu Adhikari had said on the second day of the swearing-in ceremony - we will demolish this statue.