The Maharashtra Police have arrested a structural consultant and a contractor in connection with the collapse of a 35-foot statue in Sindhudurg district on Monday.

The statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, unveiled on December 4 last year as part of the Navy Day celebrations, was intended to honor the legacy of the Maratha Navy and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s contributions to maritime defence and security, according to a press release from the Ministry of Defence.

Following the statue’s collapse, an FIR was registered at the Sindhudurg police station under sections 109, 110, 125, 318, and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Chetan Patil, the structural consultant, was arrested in Kolhapur and handed over to the Sindhudurg Police, according to senior officials from the Kolhapur Police.

On Thursday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that the statue would be rebuilt without any delay, and two committees have been constituted to investigate the incident. Shinde criticized opposition parties for politicizing the issue and urged them to show reverence and respect toward Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

The Ministry of Defence said that a joint technical committee has been formed, led by the Indian Navy and including representatives from the Maharashtra government and technical experts, to investigate the circumstances that led to the statue’s collapse.

(With ANI input)