Crashed Chhatrapati statue sculptor, aide go 'missing'; SS-UBT alleges BJP links

Mumbai, Aug 29 (IANS) Adding fire to the Opposition's ire, the sculptor and a structural consultant of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue -- which crashed in Malvan's Rajkot Fort on August 26 -- have gone 'missing', as the Shiv Sena (UBT) alleged their links with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), an official said here on Thursday. 

The sculptor, Jaydeep Apte, who designed and created the 28-feet tall hollow bronze statue, lives in Kalyan (Thane) and his consultant, Chetan Patil, is from Kolhapur, and their mobiles are switched off.

The duo's whereabouts are not known ever since the Malvan Police lodged an FIR against them after the statue collapsed on Monday, igniting a nationwide furore and a massive political row in Maharashtra.

At least three police teams each of Thane and Kolhapur police are searching for them in various possible locations where they may be hiding, while security has been beefed up around Apte's home in Kalyan.

As per certain reports, the police have reportedly managed to contact Apte's wife and recorded her statement on the matter, while Patil's home is locked.

SS-UBT Deputy Leader and spokesperson Sushma Andhare claimed that BJP MLA Nitesh (Narayan) Rane had connections with Apte, and displayed photos of the (Apte-Rane) duo, demanding their arrest.

On his part, an unfazed Nitesh Rane said that the police would definitely track Apte, and he would be dealt with as per the laws.

Apte, in an interaction with a Marathi publication last year, admitted that though a statue of such dimensions could take upto three years but he managed to do it in barely 3 months.

The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has accused the MahaYuti government of corruption in the matter of the statue construction and demanded the resignation of CM Eknath Shinde, the Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and others, while Deputy CM Ajit Pawar has tendered a public apology over the monumental tragedy.

As the MahaYuti went on the back-foot, the MVA has carried out a series of vociferous protests across the state, took out a procession that resulted in a scuffle between the SS-UBT and BJP activists near the Rajkot Fort, and will continue the agitations over the coming days.

The Indian Navy (IN) said that a joint technical committee headed by its officials along with Maharashtra officials and technical experts will be set up to probe the state incident, subsequent to the exceptional weather conditions in Sindhudurg that day.

The statue was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 4, 2023, as part of the Navy Day celebrations, and the project was conceptualised and steered by the IN, in collaboration with the state government which financed it.

The IN said it "remains committed to assisting in all measures to repair, restore, and reinstate the statue at the earliest", echoing the state government's assurances.