35ft Chhatrapati Shivaji Statue Inaugurated by PM Modi Collapses After 8 Months in Maharashtra

Mumbai: A 35 ft high statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji collapsed in Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg on Monday. It collapsed just eight months after its inauguration. This huge statue was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 4, 2023.

An FIR was registered against the contractor of the statue Jaydeep Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The charges include collusion, fraud, and endangering public safety.

In the FIR the Public Works Department (PWD) alleged that the statue’s construction was of poor quality, and the nuts and bolts used in the structure were found to be rusted.

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The work on the statue began on September 8 by the Indian Navy. Despite having no expertise in statue construction, the Indian Navy was entrusted to construct the statue and its pedestal. The statue was unveiled on Navy Day on December 4, at Rajkot Fort by Prime Minister Modi

In a statement, the Navy said, “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.”