New Delhi: Amid a massive controversy over the collapse of a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Maharashtra, the Indian Navy ordered an investigation into the incident and initiated steps to repair and restore the statue. The 35-foot statue of the 17th century Maratha warrior king in Sindhudurg district collapsed around 1 pm on Monday, just nearly eight months after its inauguration.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had unveiled the statue at the Rajkot Fort of the district on the Navy Day (December 4) last year, and participated in celebrations at the fort.
Navy orders probe
Taking note of the incident, the Navy in a late-night statement, said it has deputed a team to immediately investigate the cause of the “unfortunate accident”. “The Indian Navy notes with deep concern the damage caused this morning to the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj that was unveiled on Navy Day on December 4, 2023, as a dedication to the citizens of Sindhudurg,” the Navy said.
“Along with the state government and concerned specialists, the Navy has deputed a team to immediately investigate the cause of this unfortunate accident and initiate steps to repair, restore and reinstate the statue at the earliest,” it added.
The collapse of the statue evoked sharp reactions from the Opposition as Chief Minister Eknath Shinde blamed “strong winds” for the cave in. “The wind was blowing at a speed of 45 kilometres per hour, which caused the statue to fall. It is very unfortunate that the statue has fallen as it was designed and built by the Navy,” he said.
Why Shivaji statue collapsed?
Sindhudurg guardian minister Ravindra Chavan, who holds the Public Works Department (PWD) portfolio, said that steel used in making of the statue had started rusting, adding that experts will ascertain the exact cause of the collapse. He further said that the PWD had already written to Navy officials informing them about the statue catching rust and requested them to take appropriate steps.
“The Maharashtra government paid Rs 2.36 crore to the Navy for the statue’s installation. However, the entire procedure of selection of artist, its design was done by Navy officials,” he added.
In a complaint, PWD claimed that the statue’s construction was of poor quality, and the nuts and bolts used in the structure were found to be rusted. It stated that the rusting nuts and bolts posed a risk to the statue’s stability, yet the warnings were ignored.
FIR filed against 2
Meanwhile, an FIR has been registered against the contractor of the statue, Jaydeep Apte, and structural consultant Chetan Patil (both involved in statue project) in Sindhudurg under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The charges include collusion, fraud, and endangering public safety.