A 39-year-old sculptor and alumnus of the prestigious JJ School of Art, Jaydeep Apte, has been arrested in connection with the collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji statue in Malvan. After weeks of evading authorities, Apte was taken into custody outside his home in Kalyan on Wednesday.The Sindhudurg and Thane police teams had been actively searching for Apte, who disappeared after visiting the statue site 10 days ago. Police officials stated that Apte was last seen heading to Malvan with a friend. His arrest followed a tip-off from his wife, who informed the authorities that he had contacted her, saying he was returning home.Sculptor Jaydeep Apte was arrested at his Kalyan residence after a lookout notice was issued following the collapse of a Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Sindhudurg.The incident, which occurred eight months after the statues unveiling. Structural engineer Chetan Patil has… pic.twitter.com/jfeq3xoEPu— IANS (@ians_india) September 4, 2024Aptes family declined to comment but reportedly expressed concern over his well-being, encouraging him to cooperate with the ongoing investigation. Following his arrest, Apte was escorted by police to Malvan to continue the probe into the statues collapse.He first gained recognition in 2019 when he was commissioned by the UK-based Sikh Soldier Organisation to sculpt a bronze bust in honor of Sikh soldiers who fought in both World Wars. The piece was unveiled in West Yorkshire, UK. Additionally, he crafted a statue of Mahatma Gandhis son, Manilal, for the Dandi Memorial in Gujarat.The collapsed Shivaji statue, which stood 35 feet tall, was one of Aptes largest commissions to date. A family friend commented, Jaydeep is a talented artist, though he lacked experience with larger statues. I am confident he wouldnt engage in corruption—it was an unfortunate mistake.Associates described the Apte family as an educated, middle-class household with no history of controversy.
