Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar visited the site in Sindhudurg district where the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj recently collapsed, sparking widespread concern and dismay. The statue, which holds significant historical and cultural importance, was a local landmark and symbol of pride for the people of the region.
During his visit, Ajit Pawar met with local officials, engineers, and members of the community to assess the damage and discuss immediate steps for restoration. Meanwhile in a related development today, Chetan Patil, a structural consultant from Kolhapur, was arrested in connection with the case. The arrest occurred early in the morning through a joint effort by the Kolhapur crime branch and Malvan police, with Patil subsequently taken into Malvan police custody. Although Patil had previously claimed that he was not involved with the statue project but only worked on the platform, he is named in the FIR. He asserted that a Thane-based company was responsible for the statue itself. The 35-foot statue of the 17th-century Maratha warrior at Rajkot fort in Malvan fell around 1 p.m. on Monday, August 26, less than nine months after it was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.