Consultant Responsible for Shivaji Statue Collapse in Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg Arrested

A consultant responsible for the structural design of the Chhatrapati Shivaji statue in Sindhudurg, Maharashtra, which recently collapsed, has been arrested. The arrest follows demands from Opposition leaders for a comprehensive investigation into the incident.

Statue Consultant Arrested After Days on the Run

Chetan Patil, the structural consultant of the statue which crashed in the Rajkot Fort in Malvan, Sindhudurg, was arrested by Kolhapur Police on Thursday night. Patil had been on the run since the incident on Monday that has sparked a massive public outrage and political furore, as the sculptor Jaydeep Apte still eludes the police net.

At least six probe teams of the Kolhapur Police, Sindhudurg Police and Thane Police were on the lookout for the duo whose mobile phones were off, but Patil was caught last night.

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Shivaji Statue Unveiled by PM Modi on Navy Day Collapses in Sindhudurg

The Statue was unveiled on December 4 last year by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as part of the Navy Day celebrations conducted, for the first time in Sindhudurg. The statue was aimed at honouring the legacy of the Maratha Navy and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj towards maritime defence and security, and its historical linkage with the modern Indian Navy.

A 35-foot-tall statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the state’s Sindhudurg district collapsed on Monday afternoon. The Shivaji statue was inaugurated in December 2023 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Navy Day.

A joint technical committee led by the Indian Navy, along with representatives from the Maharashtra Government and technical experts, is being established to investigate the unfortunate damage.

The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has alleged corruption by the ruling government in the statue’s construction and has called for the resignation of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

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