Sindhudurg, (Maharashtra), Aug 26 (IANS): A giant statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj -- which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi around eight months back at the Rajkot Fort in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg -- suddenly crashed and broke into several pieces on Monday, official sources said.

The statue showing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in an attacking pose with a sword held high was erected on a pedestal in the ramparts of the historic sea-fort.

At around 12.30 pm, it started tottering and then came crashing down, breaking into multiple pieces, said an official from the district Collectorate.

“The exact causes behind the fall of the statue are not immediately clear, but we are making inquiries. Sindhudurg has been experiencing very bad weather conditions for the past few days,” the official told IANS, requesting anonymity.

The Sindhudurg Fort was built by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1660 and the Rajkot Fort in Malvan bordering the Arabian Sea was built around 1664. Both stand as a glorious testament to India’s maritime heritage.

The 45-feet tall statue made of bronze and other materials astride a high platform was inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi on December 4, 2023, at the Rajkot Fort on the occasion of Indian Navy Day celebrations held in Sindhudurg.

Officials from the Public Works Department in Sindhudurg district said that on Monday afternoon, the statue got unsteady on the pedestal and crashed into several pieces below the memorial complex.

They claimed that the statue was built by the Indian Navy authorities and they had organised its erection at the designated spot in Rajkot Fort, which is in the picturesque Malvan seaside town.

On hearing the incident, Sindhudurg Collector Kishor Tawade and a team of officials rushed to Malvan to carry out a spot inspection. Despite repeated attempts, the Collector was not available for comments.

The Rajkot Fort is located on a rocky stretch around 3 km from its more famous cousin, the Sindhudurg Fort, situated on the south-west in the Arabian Sea.

It has a single bastion used for flag-hoisting purposes besides housing a small temple of Lord Ganesha and a rock garden for tourists.

In Mumbai, defence authorities confirmed that they had learnt of the incident, suspectedly due to the inclement and stormy weather conditions experienced in Sindhudurg, adding that they were gathering more details.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in)