Messi statue in Kolkata ‘sways’ in wind, PWD rushes for repairs after loose screws detected

KOLKATA: (May 27) Panic briefly gripped a busy stretch of Kolkata’s Lake Town area on Monday, after passersby noticed the towering statue of football icon Lionel Messi apparently swaying in the wind, prompting police and Public Works Department (PWD) officials to rush to the spot and inspect the structure.

The 70-foot statue, installed atop the underground pedestrian crossing along VIP Road and unveiled during Messi’s Kolkata visit in December last year, was later found to have developed a structural snag, officials said.

The issue first came to light around noon when local residents and commuters noticed slight movement in the giant installation, and alerted the Lake Town Police Station.