Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Statue Collapse: Fabricator Who Had Used Substandard Materials During Construction Arrested From Uttar Pradesh

Mumbai: A fabricator involved in the collapse of a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at a fort in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district was reportedly arrested on Thursday. Parmeshwar Ramnaresh Yadav, who was taken into custody from Uttar Pradesh, used substandard materials while constructing the 35-foot-tall statue of the revered Maratha warrior king.

A technical investigation revealed that the statue had rusted in several places, confirming the use of low-quality materials. The police noted that Yadav not only used inferior material but also failed to properly weld the statue’s parts, contributing to its eventual collapse, as per a Times of India report.

Yadav Sent For 3-Day Remand

The statue, which was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rajkot fort in Sindhudurg on December 4, 2023, fell on August 26, 2024, during strong winds. Yadav, a key figure in the statue's construction, was identified as an accused after a thorough investigation and was later remanded in police custody for three days.

Before his arrest, other individuals involved in the project, including the statue’s sculptor-contractor Jaydeep Apte and consultant Chetan Patil, had already been taken into custody in connection with the incident.

The collapse of the statue, which was dedicated to the founder of the Maratha Empire, led to major embarrassment for both the state and central governments, given its symbolic importance and the timing of its unveiling by the Prime Minister just nine months earlier.

New Statue To Be Constructed By 'Statue Of Unity' Maker

In response to the incident, the Maharashtra state government awarded a new contract to Ram Sutar Art Creations, a firm known for its prestigious work on the Statue of Unity in Gujarat, which honours Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Led by Anil Ram Sutar, the company is now tasked with constructing a new statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji in Sindhudurg. This time, the statue will be 60 feet tall, nearly doubling the height of the previous one.

Taking extra precautions to avoid another collapse, the new contract includes a stipulation that the statue must last at least 100 years. Furthermore, the builder will be responsible for its maintenance for the first decade, ensuring that proper materials and techniques are used in its construction.