A towering 21-metre statue of Argentinian football superstar Lionel Messi has been removed in Kolkata after authorities declared it structurally unsafe.
The fibreglass-and-iron monument, erected last December during Messi’s “GOAT” tour of India, came under scrutiny after residents reported it appeared to sway in strong winds. Engineers from the Public Works Department (PWD) inspected the structure on May 25 and found serious concerns about its stability.
West Bengal legislator Sharadwat Mukherjee said the statue posed a potential risk because of its location near a busy road and an underpass. Authorities subsequently ordered its immediate removal.
Before being dismantled on June 1, the structure was secured with heavy-duty nylon ropes and the surrounding area was barricaded to ensure public safety.
According to the Press Trust of India, the statue has now been taken into Public Works Department custody. Officials have not yet announced where or when it will be reinstalled.
