Daijiworld Media Network - Dharwad (SP)

Dharwad, Mar 24: A huge statue of Shivaji Maharaj standing at the city corporation park here suddenly tumbled down at around 3.35 pm on Tuesday March 23. The statue had been installed in 2019 after a long drawn struggle extending to two decades but it was not yet inaugurated. After this surprise development, members of Maratha community staged a protest condensing this incident.

Before the incident blew into a controversy, city corporation commissioner Suresh Itnal, gave written assurance to reinstall the statue within 100 days and doused the protest for now. The 12.5 feet high 8 feet wide statue had been installed nearly two years back but it was not inaugurated.

City corporation assistant commissioner S C Bevoor, filed a written complaint in the satellite police station here, seeking to investigate the incident. The commissioner in the meanwhile has assured to install the statue within 100 days in spite of tender and administrative sanctions required for the same. This succeeded in pleasing the protesters who thereafter withdrew the protest.