Video: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s Statue, Unveiled Last Year, Collapses In Maharashtra; FIR Filed

A statue of Maratha King Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, which was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year at Rajkot fort in Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg district, collapsed on Monday.

The 35-feet-long statue of the Maratha king collapsed at around 1 pm at Rajkot Fort in Malvan. Senior officials of the police and district administration reached the site to take stock of the situation, and the damage is being examined, an official said as quoted by news agency PTI.

Experts will ascertain the exact cause of the collapse, but the district has witnessed heavy rains and gusty winds in the last two to three days, the official added.

Defence Sources familiar with the matter told CNN News 18 that the statue was designed by experts in the domain and it was a coordinated effort by both the state government and the Indian Navy.

After the unveiling, the statue was handed over to the local administration for maintenance. The exact reason of the collapse can only be ascertained by site assessment which is under progress.

The grand statue was unveiled Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 4, 2023, on the occasion of Indian Navy Day.

FIR Filed

An FIR has been filed against two people in the collapse incident. Jaydeep Aapte Proprietor of M/s Artist company and structural consultant Chetan Patil have been booked by the Malvan police.

Indian Navy issues statement

The Indian Nay also issued a statement saying that it has deputed a team to immediately investigate the cause of the collapse.

“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 04 Dec 2023 as a dedication to the citizens of Sindhudurg. 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.

Opposition slams state government

Following the incident, opposition parties’ leaders, including NCP (SP)’s Jayant Patil, Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Aaditya Thackeray and others, have slammed the state government, alleging it had paid little attention to the quality of work.

Thackeray claimed that the memorial was made in haste because of the arrogance of the BJP.

“We will never tolerate the insult of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who is our and all Maharashtra’s idol! Chhatrapati Shivaji’s memorial in Malvan, which was built in haste keeping the elections in sight and inaugurated by Modi ji, collapsed today in just 8 months. Because of that arrogance, Maharaj’s memorial was made in haste without considering the seriousness of it. The intention was to use only the Maharaja’s image, so the quality of the memorial was not taken into account. Didn’t even hear what the locals said. Today, when we saw the statue of our Maharaj falling down, I felt great pain in my heart. The Mindhe regime and the poisonous snake called BJP, which insulted the Maharaja, must now bite! Every image of Chhatrapati Shivarai, who is the pride of Maharashtra, should be taken care of!” he said in a post on X in Marathi.

AIMIM chief Assaduddin Owaisi also hot out at the BJP saying that the collapse is a reflection of the poor quality of infrastructure built by Modi government.

“The 35-feet Shivaji Statue inaugurated by @narendramodi collapsed today. It’s a reflection of the poor quality of infrastructure built by Modi sarkar. Shivaji was a symbol of equality & secularism, his statue’s collapse is an example of @narendramodi’s lack of commitment to Shivaji’s vision,” he said on X.

NCP (SP) state president and former minister Jayant Patil said, “The state government is responsible for the collapse, as it did not take proper care. The government paid little attention to the quality of work. It only focused on conducting an event where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was invited to unveil the statue. This Maharashtra government only issues new tenders, accepts commissions and gives contracts accordingly.”

Congress also slammed the BJP-led government and said that corruption is at its peak in the BJP government.

CM Shinde orders probe of incident

Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde responded to the collapse incident and said that the officials from PWD and the Navy will visit the site and investigate the cause behind it

“The incident that happened is unfortunate. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is the revered deity of Maharashtra. 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. Tomorrow, officials from PWD and the Navy will visit the site and investigate the cause behind it. I sent Public Works Minister Ravindra Chavan to the site as soon as I heard about the incident. We will find out the reasons behind this incident and reinstall the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the revered deity of Maharashtra, at the same place,” Shinde said.

Maharashtra Minister Deepak Kesarkar said, “I don’t have all the details about the incident. However, it’s important to note that PWD Minister Ravindra Chavan, also the guardian minister of Sindhudurg district, has said a thorough investigation will be conducted in the matter.”

“We are committed to erecting a new statue at the same location. This statue, unveiled by PM Modi, pays tribute to Shivaji Maharaj’s visionary efforts in building a sea fort. We will take all necessary steps to address this matter promptly and effectively,” he said.

(With inputs from agencies)