Kolkata: Nine months after Lionel Messi’s fleeting appearance at the Salt Lake stadium ended in a crowd-control nightmare, police are leaving little to chance as the venue prepares for its first international football event since the fiasco — this time with three layers of frisking, nearly 2,000 police personnel, block-wise security strengthened several-fold and a multi-agency emergency plan in place including Personal Security Officers (PSOs) accompanying VIPs being prohibited inside the ground during the four-match international window starting with the India–Brazil friendly on Saturday.With water bottles sold inside the stadium among the objects hurled at the stands during the Messi event, police have now barred water bottles and other items that could potentially be used as missiles from being taken inside. Outside food, banners, posters, umbrellas, sharp objects, weapons, inflammable items and laser lights will also be prohibited. Water will be made available through paper-cup dispensers and booths across every block and level, cops said on Thursday. Raincoats, however, will be allowed. Paid food kiosks will operate inside the stadium.The Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan will also host India-Uruguay on Oct 6, followed by India’s women’s international friendlies against Russia on Oct 8 and 11.Cops said the four matches will turn the stadium into a sustained security operation, with police and the administration strengthening arrangements across the venue, its approach roads and parking areas.The decision to keep VIP PSOs out of the stadium is among the most significant changes in the security protocol. While VIPs will be allowed into designated areas, their accompanying security personnel will not be permitted inside the playing area. Police said the restriction would help reduce unnecessary movement inside the stadium and ensure that access to the ground remains tightly controlled.The measures come after the Dec 13, 2025 Messi event, when the Argentine superstar stayed at the stadium for only around 20-25 minutes amid chaotic scenes before leaving after feeling threatened because of the crowd building around him. Parts of the crowd later threw bottles and chairs and damaged stadium property, triggering widespread criticism of the arrangements.“This time, spectators will have to pass through three layers of ticket checking and frisking. At the first checkpoint, they will have to display their virtual mobile tickets at the outer perimeter gate. A second round of checking will take place while they move towards the main stadium building, followed by a final ticket verification and frisking at the ramps leading to individual blocks,” a senior officer of Bidhannagar City Police said.Police have advised spectators attending the India-Brazil match on Oct 3 to reach the stadium by 5 pm, two hours before the scheduled kick-off, to avoid congestion and delays.Around 2,000 police personnel will be deployed across three security zones covering the stadium bowl and ground, the outer premises and parking areas, and external traffic corridors.“Security inside individual blocks has also been strengthened substantially. Around 32 personnel will be deployed in each block, compared with roughly three earlier. Each ticket carries a specific seat number, while ramps have been numbered according to the corresponding blocks so that spectators use designated routes and do not congregate at common entry points,” another official said.The stadium has also undergone a series of upgrades ahead of the matches, including repairs and renumbering of seats, additional and widened entry gates, upgraded dugouts, improved hospitality facilities and large LED screens above the goalposts.
