Solapur police arrested 45-year-old Balraje Aware-Patil on Sunday for allegedly installing unauthorised statues of historical figures at night. The arrest followed a March 31 clash in Anjangaon temple premises between caste groups, involving stone-pelting and injuries to police personnel. He faces charges of attempted murder, rioting, unlawful assembly, and illegal installations under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Balraje Aware-Patil and his team operated for three months under cover of night, slipping into empty plots to install pre-built statues of revered historical figures without authorisation. These installations quickly drew crowds and protests against their removal, which police allege helped Patil build a lucrative business.
Solapur's Madha police station has registered at least three cases against the 45-year-old, who is now in judicial custody. Solapur SP Atul Kulkarni said, “There are a total of 14 cases registered related to illegal statues on government land in Solapur district, and Patil has been named in five cases.” He added that Madha police filed seven cases, with Patil booked in three, and a team arrested him at his Jalna home on Sunday.
A senior police officer suggested the installations may have aimed to encroach land and mobilise local support. A May 2017 government resolution requires prior district collector permission for such installations, even on private land, with violations leading to legal action and removal.
The trigger was a March 31 statue installation inside Anjangaon temple premises in Solapur, sparking a confrontation between two caste groups, stone-pelting, and police injuries. Jalna district administration has shut down Patil's manufacturing unit, with police probing a possible broader statewide operation.