Shivaji Statue Collapse: Police Arrests Structural Consultant; Ajit Pawar Inspects Site

Sindhudurg Shivaji Statue Collapse: As the opposition sharpened its attack on the ruling Mahayuti government in Maharashtra over the collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the police have also swung into action by registering an FIR and arresting the structural consultant of the project. 

Chetan Patil, the structural consultant responsible for the Shivaji Maharaj statue that collapsed in the Malvan area of Sindhudurg, has been arrested in Kolhapur, according to senior officials from the Kolhapur Police. A team from the local crime branch conducted an operation to locate Patil and arrested him around 12:30 am on Friday in Kolhapur.

The Sindhudurg Police has also arrested a contractor in the case.

"Police have arrested a contractor in the case of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue collapse in Malvan, Sindhudurg. The accused structural consultant Chetan Patil has also been arrested. The arrest has been made from Kolhapur. The local crime branch team has arrested him. Chetan will be brought to Sindhudurg today," said officials of Sindhudurg Police.

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar today also reached the incident site where the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue collapsed and took stock of the incident. The Deputy CM was briefed about the project and possible deficiences in its implementation. "Everyone is sad with whatever happened. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is our diety and everyone is proud of his history...The Chief Minister has held meetings in this regard...Efforts are being made to build the memorial. Action will be taken against the culprits. No matter where they run they will be found," said Pawar.

An FIR was filed at the Sindhudurg Police Station after the 35-foot Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue collapsed on August 26. The FIR, which Sindhudurg Police confirmed, was lodged under sections 109, 110, 125, 318, and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). On Thursday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced that the state government is taking swift action to reconstruct the statue. Two committees have been formed, one of which will investigate the cause of the collapse in the Malvan area.

CM Shinde said a joint committee has been formed to investigate the unfortunate collapse of Shivaji Maharaj's statue and take action. He said all efforts are being made for early reconstruction of the statue and Navy officials, officials from IIT, architects, engineers, and sculptors of international repute were called. The Statue was unveiled on December 4 last year.