Sculptor's Arrest in Statue Collapse Case Sparks Controversy

Sculptor Jaydeep Apte has been arrested in connection with the collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue in Malvan. Apte was apprehended by police in Kalyan after allegedly coming to surrender. His arrest has triggered political debate in Maharashtra ahead of the Assembly elections.

Sculptor Jaydeep Apte, implicated in the collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue, was arrested in Kalyan, Thane district, after an alleged attempt to surrender, according to his counsel.

Apte, 24, was apprehended by a police team near his house. Police sought Apte following the statue's collapse on August 26, less than nine months post-inauguration. Seven police teams were deployed for his capture.

Ganesh Sovani, Apte's lawyer, stated that Apte preferred facing legal action over seeking pre-arrest bail. Dialogue with his family led to the surrender plan, Sovani noted. Police, however, claimed they acted on a tip-off and caught Apte who was disguised with a mask. The statue's collapse has caused political friction ahead of Maharashtra's assembly elections.

(With inputs from agencies.)