The Sindhudurg Police in Maharashtra have registered an FIR against contractor Jaydeep Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil following the collapse of a 35-foot-tall statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The FIR includes charges under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Sections 109, 110, 125, 318, and 3(5).
Incident Details
The statue, unveiled just eight months ago on Navy Day, was intended as a tribute to the citizens of Sindhudurg. On Monday, the statue collapsed, prompting an immediate investigation by the Indian Navy. The Navy has committed to working with the State Government and specialists to determine the cause of the collapse and to repair and restore the statue as soon as possible.
Government Response
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde attributed the collapse to strong winds, estimated at around 45 km/h. He assured that the state government will investigate the incident thoroughly and work on reinstalling the statue. Public Works Minister Ravindra Chavan has been assigned to lead the investigation into the statue’s collapse.
Navy’s Role
The Indian Navy, which was responsible for both the design and erection of the statue, has promised to assist in the investigation and restoration efforts. A dedicated team has been deployed to address the situation.
Political Reactions
Opposition parties have criticized the handling of the statue project. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Supriya Sule has called for a blacklist of the contractor and a detailed investigation into the statue’s construction quality. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi, suggesting that the statue’s hasty inauguration was politically motivated and has led to an insult of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Future Plans
The statue, initially unveiled by Prime Minister Modi at Rajkot Fort on December 4, 2023, will be reinstalled once the necessary investigations and repairs are completed. The state government and the Indian Navy are coordinating efforts to address the fallout from this incident.