Welding repaired once before Bhuleshwar idol collapsed: Police

Police suspect that the same portion of the supporting frame may have failed again, causing the 22-foot idol to collapse near the mandal’s pandal in Bhuleshwar

MUMBAI: The sculptor who made the Bhuleshwar Cha Raja idol, which collapsed during a procession on Sunday and killed two people, recorded his statement before the L T Marg police on Tuesday. Investigators said he told them that the welding on a frame supporting the massive idol had broken soon after the procession left his workshop in Agripada, forcing it to turn back for repairs.

A 22-foot idol collapsed during a procession on Sunday and killed two people (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

Police suspect that the same portion of the supporting frame may have failed again, causing the 22-foot idol to collapse near the mandal’s pandal in Bhuleshwar. Sanket Nevshe, 33, the president of the Bhuleshwar Cha Raja mandal, and Brijesh Joshi, 30, were killed in the incident.

Police said they have seized material from the spot, including samples of the Plaster of Paris (PoP) used to make the idol, which will be sent to the Kalina Forensic Science Laboratory as part of the investigation.

Sculptor Aniket Desai, who police said had been out of contact following the accident, recorded his statement with investigators on Tuesday.

“We have recorded his statement. He has told us several things, and we are verifying them,” an officer from the L T Marg police station said.

“A policeman on patrol had asked them why they had returned. They told him that the welding had broken. Desai has also confirmed this to us. After repairs, the procession resumed. Just when the idol was about to reach the pandal, it collapsed, killing two people,” the officer said.

The police are examining whether there were lapses in the construction of the idol or in the manner in which it was installed on its supporting structure and transported.

Investigators have also found that the 22-foot Bhuleshwar Cha Raja was the largest idol Desai had made so far. Police said Desai, a graduate of the Sir J J School of Art, had earlier made idols of around 16 feet for the Colaba Cha Samrat Mandal and Kamathipura Cha Raja. The Bhuleshwar idol was based on a Thailand-themed concept, according to the police.

Police said they have also found prima facie that the PoP was still wet when the accident occurred, which may have made the idol heavier and complicated the rescue operation. The two deceased were trapped beneath the idol’s stomach area, and the fire brigade had to use a crane to lift parts of the structure during the rescue.

“Wet PoP may have made the idol heavier. We have seized samples of the PoP and will send them for forensic examination,” the officer said. The forensic examination will help investigators determine the extent to which the PoP was wet and whether the idol was fit for transport at the time.

“We are trying to ascertain whether there were lapses in the construction or installation that led to the incident,” the officer said. “We have registered accidental death reports in the matter. A case has not yet been registered as the investigation is still underway.”

Meanwhile, the state government, as well as the Lalbaugcha Raja and Mumbaicha Raja mandals, have announced financial assistance for the Bhuleshwar Cha Raja mandal and the families of the deceased. The assistance announced ranges from ₹3 lakh to ₹5 lakh.