Shivaji Maharaj's 35-foot statue collapses in Sindhudurg, oppn slams govt

A statue of Maratha King Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a fort in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district, collapsed on Monday, an official said. Following the incident, the opposition parties have slammed the state government, alleging it had paid little attention to the quality of work. A 35-foot statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj collapsed around 1 pm at Rajkot Fort in Malvan, the official said. Experts will ascertain the exact cause of the collapse, but the district has witnessed heavy rains and gusty winds in the last two to three days, he said. Senior officials of the police and district administration reached the site to take stock of the situation, and the damage is being examined, he said. PM Modi unveiled the statue on December 4 last year on the occasion of Navy Day. He also participated in the celebrations at the fort. NCP (SP) state president and former minister Jayant Patil said, "The state government is responsible for the ...