A statue of Maratha King Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a fort in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district, collapsed on Monday, an official said.

The 35-foot statue collapsed around 1 pm at Rajkot Fort in Malvan, he said.

Experts will ascertain the exact cause of the collapse, but the district has witnessed heavy rains and gusty winds in the last two to three days, the official said.

Senior officials of the police and district administration reached the site to take stock of the situation, and the damage is being examined, he said.

PM Modi unveiled the statue on December 4 last year on the occasion of Navy Day. He also participated in the celebrations at the fort.

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