Shivaji statue collapse: Contractor, structural consultant booked

Mumbai, August 27

The Sindhudurg police have registered a case against the contractor and the structural consultant in connection with the collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s statue here, officials said on Tuesday.

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 Eknath Shinde-led state government and invited criticism from the opposition parties. CM Shinde said the statue was designed and constructed by the Indian Navy.

A complaint was lodged by an assistant engineer of the PWD at the Malvan police station on Monday evening. As per the complainant, the artist and the consultant were responsible for the collapse of the statue, an official said. An FIR was registered against contractor Jaydeep Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil, he said.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA, others vandalise PWD office

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Vaibhav Naik and others were booked for allegedly vandalising an office of the Public Works Department (PWD) in Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg district following the collapse of the statue, an official said on Tuesday.