Mumbai 2024 August 26 : In a startling incident, the 35-foot tall statue of Maratha King Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year at Rajkot Fort in Malvan, collapsed on Monday, August 26. The statue, which stood as a proud symbol of the Maratha legacy in Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg district, came down around 1 PM, according to local officials.
The statue was inaugurated on December 4, 2023, by PM Modi during the Navy Day celebrations. The event had seen the presence of several high-profile dignitaries, including Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar. The unveiling had been a momentous occasion, with the Maratha empire founder’s seal also inspiring the new naval ensign, adopted when PM Modi commissioned the first indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant.
The exact cause of the collapse remains unclear, and experts have been called in to ascertain the reason behind the incident. However, local authorities have noted that the district has experienced heavy rainfall and strong winds over the past two to three days, which may have contributed to the statue’s downfall.
Senior officials from the police and district administration promptly arrived at the site to assess the damage and manage the situation. The area around the statue has been cordoned off as a precautionary measure, and an investigation is underway.
The collapse of the statue has left the local community and Shivaji Maharaj’s admirers across Maharashtra in deep shock. The statue, standing at Rajkot Fort in Malvan, had become a significant cultural and historical landmark since its unveiling.
This incident has sparked widespread concern regarding the structural integrity of such monumental projects, especially in regions prone to severe weather conditions. The state government has promised a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the collapse and to take necessary actions to prevent such occurrences in the future.
