Engineer Denies Role in Shivaji Maharaj Statue Collapse, Blames Thane-Based Company

A structural engineer involved in the collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s statue in Maharashtra has denied any responsibility for the incident. Chetan Patil, named in the FIR alongside artist Jaydeep Apte, told a Marathi news channel that he was only responsible for designing the platform, not the statue itself. He claims to have submitted the platform design to the Indian Navy through the Public Works Department (PWD), while a Thane-based company was tasked with the statue’s construction. The 35-foot statue, unveiled nearly nine months ago, collapsed in Sindhudurg, sparking political controversy and demands for the resignation of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The collapse has ignited tensions between the ruling coalition and the opposition.