Lionel Messi's tour of India kicked off chaotically on Saturday as fans threw objects, ripped up seats and invaded the pitch at Kolkata's Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, also known as Salt Lake Stadium, after the Argentine soccer great made only a brief appearance at a ticketed event.

Satadru Dutta, the event's chief organizer, has been detained by police, said Rajeev Kumar, director general of West Bengal police.

Messi was scheduled for a 45-minute visit to the stadium, but his appearance lasted just 20 minutes. Tickets for the event were priced from about 3,500 rupees ($53.44 Cdn) — more than half of the average weekly income in India — but one fan said he had paid $130 US ($180 Cdn).

A man ducks to protect himself as fans throw chairs after Messi leaves Vivekananda Yuva Bharati

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