A 70-foot statue of football star Lionel Messi has been taken down in Kolkata, India after it was found to be unsafe.
The statue was erected in December during Messi's "GOAT" tour of the country, with GOAT standing for "Greatest of All Time".
According to local media reports, engineers from the Public Works Department inspected the statue after residents raised concerns that it was swaying in strong winds.
West Bengal legislator Sharadwat Mukherjee says the inspection found the structure was unsafe and its stability had been seriously compromised.
He says the statue's location near a busy road and subway made its removal challenging.
Authorities secured the fibreglass and iron structure with heavy-duty ropes and erected barricades around the site before removing it.
The Press Trust of India reports that the statue will remain in the custody of the Public Works Department, while officials decide where it will be relocated.
Source: BBC News
