Bhuleshwar Idol Frame Broke and Was Repaired Before Fatal Fall, Sculptor Tells Police
The sculptor of the 22-foot Bhuleshwar Cha Raja idol, which collapsed during a procession on Sunday and killed two people in Bhuleshwar, told investigators that the supporting frame had fractured and was repaired shortly before the fatal accident.
Sculptor Aniket Desai recorded his statement before the L T Marg police on Tuesday. According to investigators, Desai stated that the welding on a frame supporting the massive idol broke barely 100 metres into its journey after leaving his workshop at Bakri Adda in Agripada. The procession returned to the workshop for repairs before resuming towards the pandal.
Police suspect the same portion of the supporting frame failed again as the procession neared the pandal in Bhuleshwar, bringing down the structure. Sanket Nevshe, 33, president of the Bhuleshwar Cha Raja mandal, and Brijesh Joshi, 30, died after being trapped under the idol.
Investigators are examining whether lapses occurred in the idol's construction, installation, or transport. Police noted that the 22-foot Thailand-themed idol was the largest structure Desai had crafted to date. Desai, a graduate of the Sir J J School of Art, had previously built 16-foot idols for the Colaba Cha Samrat Mandal and Kamathipura Cha Raja.
Preliminary findings also indicate the Plaster of Paris (PoP) was still wet when the accident occurred. Officers believe the moisture added substantial weight to the idol, which contributed to the structural failure and complicated rescue efforts. Fire brigade personnel had to deploy a crane to lift sections of the structure to retrieve the victims.
Police have seized PoP samples from the scene and will send them to the Kalina Forensic Science Laboratory to assess moisture levels and determine whether the idol was safe for transit.
Accidental death reports have been registered at L T Marg police station while inquiries continue. Meanwhile, the state government, along with the Lalbaugcha Raja and Mumbaicha Raja mandals, announced financial assistance ranging between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 5 lakh for the families of the deceased and the mandal.
