Shivaji Statue Collapse: Dy CM Ajit Pawar Promises Action Against Culprits, Structural Consultant Arrested

Amidst political backlash, Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar visited the site of a collapsed Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue and promised action against the culprits.

The 35-foot statue of the 17th-century Maratha warrior king collapsed around 1 pm on Monday (Image: ANI)

Source : ANI

Amid a political storm over the collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue in Maharashtra, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday (August 30) visited Malvan in Sindhudurg district to assess the damage to a 35-foot structure that fell earlier this week. Accompanied by the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)  state president and MP Sunil Tatkare, Pawar inspected the area and held discussions with officials to determine the cause of the statue’s collapse. 

Addressing the media after the visit, Pawar said, "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."

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar says, "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… https://t.co/igOfTRY936 pic.twitter.com/sLQRTNCRN9

— ANI (@ANI) August 30, 2024

The fall of the statue, which was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year, has sparked significant controversy, leading to protests and accusations of negligence and corruption. 

With political pressure mounting, Pawar was the first one from the Mahayuti allies to apologise to the people of Maharashtra for the collapse. Pawar-led NCP was also seen trying to distance itself from allies over the issue and held a silent statewide protest on Thursday, over the collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue. 

Structural Consultant Arrested

Maharashtra police, meanwhile, arrested Chetan Patil, the structural consultant named in the FIR registered in connection with the collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s statue in Sindhudurg. Patil was arrested from Kolhapur, police said on Friday.  

As per Kolhapur Superintendent of Police Mahendra Pandit, the consultant was taken into custody late on Thursday night and was handed over to the Sindhudurg police for further investigation. 

The development came despite Patil, who was named in the FIR along with artist Jaydeep Apte, claiming that he was not the structural consultant for the project. Speaking to ABP Majha on Wednesday, Patil had said that he had submitted the design of the platform to the Indian Navy through the state's Public Works Department (PWD) but had nothing to do with the statue itself.

“A Thane-based company did the statue-related work. I was just asked to work on the platform on which the statue was being erected,” Patil had said.

Shivaji Statue Collapse

The 35-foot statue of the 17th-century Maratha warrior king, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rajkot fort in Malvan tehsil of Sindhudurg on Navy Day (December 4) last year, collapsed around 1 pm on Monday. The incident caused embarrassment to the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led state government and invited criticism and protests from the opposition parties. Shinde said the statue was designed and constructed by the Indian Navy.