Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Narayan Rane created a stir at Rajkot Fort in Sindhudurg on Wednesday, when he seized the microphone from a news reporter. The Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg MP was there to inspect the site where the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj recently collapsed.

A video from a Marathi news channel captures the moment Rane, clearly agitated, confronted the reporter who was questioning him.

Tensions flared when supporters of Rane clashed with those backing Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray, who was also visiting the statue collapse site. The conflict intensified when Thackeray and local politicians arrived at the Fort while Rane and his supporters were already present. The exchange of slogans between the two groups led to a confrontation that required police intervention to separate them.

Rane reprimanded the police for allowing Thackeray and his group into the Fort despite the time slot being reserved for him. He issued a stern warning to the police and threatened to retaliate if Thackeray’s supporters attacked him, saying he would “lock them up in a room and kill them.”

Meanwhile, MVA leaders including Thackeray, Congress’ Vijay Wadettiwar, and NCP’s Jayant Patil are protesting in Malvan today, condemning the statue collapse and calling for a Malvan Bandh.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has attributed the collapse to strong winds. An FIR has been filed against the contractor responsible for the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg, which collapsed just eight months after its inauguration. The statue was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 4, 2023.

Locals and tourists had earlier raised concerns about the statue’s condition. Despite warnings, including a notification from the Malvan division’s assistant engineer on August 20, no measures were taken. The PWD had warned that rusting nuts and bolts jeopardised the statue’s stability, but these alerts were ignored.

“The steel used in making of the statue had started rusting. The PWD had already written to Navy officials informing them about the statue catching rust and requested them to take appropriate steps,” said Sindhudurg guardian minister Ravindra Chavan said.