Sculptor Jaydeep Apte, who had been absconding for the past two weeks following the collapse of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Rajkot Fort in Malvan, has been arrested. Apte, who had been evading arrest, was finally apprehended at his residence in Kalyan. A total of seven teams were formed to track him down, and he was ultimately taken into custody by a team led by Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Sachin Gunjal from Kalyan. Apte is now being questioned by authorities.
This marks the second major arrest in this case. Previously, structural consultant Chetan Patil was taken into custody for his involvement in the incident. On August 26, the life-sized statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj collapsed at Rajkot Fort in Sindhudurg, prompting police action. Both Patil and Apte were named as suspects, and while Patil was quickly arrested, Apte had been on the run. A few days back, a lookout notice was issued by Malvan Police against Apte.
To ensure Apte’s capture, multiple teams were deployed across different locations. The team led by DCP Sachin Gunjal successfully located and detained Apte from his home in Kalyan. After his arrest, he was handed over to Sindhudurg police, who took him to Sindhudurg for further investigation.
Congress leader Sachin Sawant has raised questions about the delay in Apte’s capture, suggesting that Apte’s connections or possible protection from powerful individuals could have contributed to his evasion of the authorities. “Why did it take so long to find him? Was there someone shielding him,” Sawant asked, hinting at potential political interference in the matter.
The statue’s collapse caused a stir, especially given the symbolic importance of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to Maharashtra. Authorities have intensified their investigation, looking into the possible reasons for the statue’s collapse and whether it was due to negligence, faulty design, or construction flaws.
With both suspects now in custody, further inquiries will reveal whether there were any deeper issues with the statue’s structural design and execution. Apte is expected to face charges related to his role in the incident, and the investigation will continue as authorities try to piece together the events leading to the collapse of the iconic statue.
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