Consultant arrested for collapse of Shivaji statue in Maharashtra

The arrest comes days after protests from Opposition leaders seeking a thorough investigation into the collapse. The Statue was unveiled on December 4 last year by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as part of the Navy Day celebrations conducted, for the first time in Sindhudurg. The statue was aimed at honouring the legacy of the Maratha Navy and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj towards maritime defence and security, and its historical linkage with the modern Indian Navy.

A 35-foot-tall statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the state’s Sindhudurg district collapsed on Monday afternoon. The Shivaji statue was inaugurated in December 2023 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Navy Day. A joint technical committee headed by the Indian Navy with representatives from the Maharashtra Government and technical experts is being formed to investigate the unfortunate damage.