The Sindhudurg Police in Maharashtra have filed an FIR against contractor Jaydeep Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil following the collapse of a 35-foot-tall statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on Monday. The incident has sparked widespread concern and prompted immediate action from both local authorities and the Indian Navy, which was involved in the statue's installation.
The FIR, registered under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Sections 109, 110, 125, 318, and 3(5), reflects the seriousness of the charges against Apte and Patil. These charges could lead to significant legal consequences for the individuals involved in the statue's construction.
The statue, which was unveiled just eight months ago on Navy Day, was a significant symbol for the people of Sindhudurg. The Indian Navy has expressed its commitment to investigating the cause of the collapse, with a team already deployed to assess the damage and work on restoring the statue.
"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," the Navy said in a statement.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde attributed the statue's fall to damage caused by strong winds. He vowed to uncover the exact reasons behind the collapse and ensure the statue is reinstalled in its original location. "The incident that happened is unfortunate. This statue was erected by the Navy. They had also designed it. But due to strong winds of around 45 km/h, it fell and got damaged," Shinde stated.
Public Works Minister Ravindra Chavan visited the site shortly after the incident and announced that a thorough investigation would be conducted under the Chief Minister's orders. The Indian Navy has also pledged its support to state authorities in the investigation and restoration efforts.
The statue was originally unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 4, 2023, at Rajkot Fort in Sindhudurg, Maharashtra. The collapse has drawn criticism from opposition parties, who have demanded accountability from the contractor responsible for the statue's construction.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Supriya Sule took to social media to demand that the contractor be blacklisted and a thorough investigation be conducted into the quality of the statue's construction. "The work of erecting this statue was assigned to a contractor from Thane district? We demand that this person and their organisation be blacklisted by all departments? A thorough investigation is essential to determine why the quality of this statue's work was so poor and to address other related issues," Sule posted on X.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut also criticized the timing of the statue's inauguration, suggesting that it was rushed to coincide with the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. "The haste with which the statue was inaugurated, keeping the Lok Sabha elections in mind, I feel that it was done in a very poor manner. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was insulted for elections and votes. The installation by Modi ji's hands shows that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj did not want this," Raut commented.
