Statue of Shivaji inaugurated by Modi falls, breaks into pieces in Maharashtra

Mumbai: A 35-foot statue of Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, which was unveiled by Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi in Sindhudurg district, Maharashtra, last December, collapsed on Monday.

According to a PTI report citing an official, the statue fell around 1pm at Rajkot Fort in Malvan.

In response, opposition parties criticised the Eknath Shinde-led BJP-Shiv Sena government, accusing it of neglecting the quality of work.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi alleged corruption in the construction tender, questioning the contractor’s identity and the amount of kickbacks involved. She expressed concern over the statue’s collapse, given its significance.

Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde stated that the statue fell due to strong winds and called the incident unfortunate. He added that a minister had been sent to inspect the situation.

PM Modi had originally unveiled the statue on December 4 last year, during Navy Day celebrations.

NCP (SP) state president Jayant Patil blamed the state government for the collapse, claiming it had focused more on the event than on ensuring the quality of the statue’s construction.

Senior police and district officials have visited the site to assess the damage. Maharashtra minister Deepak Kesarkar mentioned that PWD Minister Ravindra Chavan, also the guardian minister of Sindhudurg district, had ordered a thorough investigation into the incident.

Kesarkar assured that a new statue would be erected at the same location.