Maharashtra police have arrested structural consultant Chetan Patil in connection with the collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Sindhudurg’s Malvan district earlier this week. The 35-foot statue, which was unveiled less than nine months ago by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, toppled on August 26, triggering widespread political and public outrage.
Chetan Patil, a Kolhapur resident, was apprehended early this morning in a joint operation by the Kolhapur crime branch and Malvan police. Patil, who was named in the FIR, had denied being the structural consultant for the statue, stating that his role was limited to working on the platform, while a Thane-based company was responsible for the statue itself.
The collapse of the statue has prompted the Maharashtra government to form two committees: one to investigate the cause of the collapse and another to expedite the reconstruction of the statue. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, expressing deep regret over the incident, stated, “I am ready to apologize 100 times for this mishap. We are working on a war footing to rebuild a grand statue of Shivaji Maharaj at the earliest.”
The Indian Navy, which was involved in the project, has pledged its full support in repairing and reinstating the statue. Meanwhile, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has staged silent protests across the state, urging swift action.
