Shivaji statue collapse: Police arrests fabricator for using substandard material
Police have arrested Parmeshwar Ramnaresh Yadav, the fabricator responsible for the 35-foot-tall statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj that collapsed at a fort in Sindhudurg district, Maharashtra. The incident, which occurred on August 26 during strong winds, ignited a major political controversy.
Yadav, a resident of Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh, was apprehended on Thursday following an investigation that revealed he had used substandard materials while fabricating the statue. According to officials, Yadav was tasked with welding the separate parts of the statue but failed to use proper techniques and materials.
A technical analysis of the structure found that parts of the steel statue had rusted, indicating the use of low-quality material. This, combined with improper welding, led to the collapse of the statue, which had been unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rajkot fort in December of the previous year.
Yadav’s role in the case became clear after further investigation, leading to his arrest. He was produced in court and remanded to police custody for three days. Two other individuals involved in the statue's construction, sculptor-contractor Jaydeep Apte and consultant Chetan Patil, were arrested earlier in connection with the collapse.