Sculptor of collapsed Shivaji statue Jaydeep Apte arrested
The Kalyan Police has arrested the sculptor of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s statue, Jaydeep Apte, from his residence. Apte was absconding following the collapse of the Chhatrapati’s statue at the Rajkot Fort in Malvan, Sindhudurg district.
The police had registered a case against him after public outrage over the fall of the statue.
Earlier, the Sindhudurg District Superintendent of Police had issued a lookout notice for Apte.
Apte came to his Kalyan residence to meet his wife and mother, avoiding the police. However, the police arrested him from his residence.
The police have already arrested structural engineer Chetan Patil under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita.
After the incident, Apte’s family went to Shahapur to stay with their relatives. However, the police went there and questioned Apte’s wife and mother. The Kalyan Police had repeatedly visited Apte’s family to arrest him but could not do so.
The statue collapse
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s statue was unveiled in December 2023. However, after just eight months on August 26, 2024, the 35-feet statue collapsed.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and other MahaYuti leaders said that the statue collapsed due to heavy wind speed. However, the Opposition rejected the Chief Minister’s explanation, saying that it was due to corruption.
The Art Director of the statue had also clarified that permission was granted for the erection of a six-feet statue but it was overruled and the 35-feet statue was erected.
Chief Minister Shinde said Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is their idol and he would not mind apologizing 100 times to the people of the state and the country. Thereafter, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 30 apologized and sought forgiveness from the people of the country.
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