The sculptor who allegedly made the 22-foot Ganesh idol that collapsed during a procession in South Mumbai, killing two people and injuring five, remains untraceable, with the LT Marg police yet to determine whether lapses in its construction or installation led to the incident.

Police have been unable to contact sculptor Aniket Desai, whose whereabouts have emerged as a key hurdle in the investigation.

Police have also found that the Plaster of Paris (PoP) used for the idol was still wet when it collapsed. Officials are examining whether the moisture increased the idol’s weight and contributed to the collapse.

Story continues below this ad

“We have received inputs that when the idol was removed from the workshop, the people had complained about the nut bolt being loose and the idol was taken back to the workshop; the nut bolt was fixed, and then the procession was carried out. We are checking the CCTV cameras to ascertain if the facts are true,” the police said.

Two people, Sanket Nevshe and Brijesh Joshi, were killed after being trapped under the idol, while five others were injured. The idol collapsed during a procession on August 22, following which the LT Marg police registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR).

Investigators are examining whether there was negligence in the making or installation of the idol.

An FIR is yet to be registered as the police continue to investigate the circumstances leading to the collapse.

Story continues below this ad

However, the inability to contact the sculptor has made it difficult for them to establish how the idol was constructed and whether any structural shortcomings were overlooked.

“We wanted to know the exact cause of negligence to take the further course of action but we could not establish any contact with the sculptor Aniket Desai,” an official said.

“We suspect that Aniket Desai had made a big sculpture for the first time. But this is subject to verification,” the officer  said.

The police are now examining CCTV footage and other evidence from the workshop and the procession route to determine whether the collapse was caused by a structural defect, faulty installation or negligence on the part of those involved in making or transporting the idol.