Case booked against fabricator

Udupi: A case has been registered in the Karkala town police station against Krishna, who is said to be the owner of Krishna Kalaloka,-an art fabricating centre, on the charges of allegedly supplying the statue of Lord Parashurama fabricated in cheaper material against the promised bronze material.

According to the complaint filed by Krishna (30), a resident of Nallur village in Karkala, the accused took Rs 1,25,50,000 from the Udupi Nirmithi Kendra for the construction and installation of the statue, allegedly stating that the statue would be built in bronze. However, the accused has allegedly cheated the government by making a statue of Parashurama in cheaper material instead of giving it a genuine bronze statue as promised.

It could be recalled here that Udupi Congress leader, Muniyal Uday Kumar Shetty, had raised concerns about the authenticity of the bronze statue of Parashurama perched atop Umikal Hill in Karkala taluk. He had asserted that the statue, which stands above knee level, does not appear to be made from bronze, suggesting possible corruption in the project. He alleged that the previous BJP government rushed to complete and inaugurate the statue before the assembly elections, compromising on quality in the process. Consequently, the Nirmiti Kendra has officially announced the need for modifications, leading to its closure for tourists since the start of the rainy season.

He also expressed concerns about the project’s finances, stating that it was initially intended to create a 33 ft tall bronze statue of Parashurama weighing approximately 15 tons at a cost of Rs 2.4 crore. Surprisingly, quotations were invited on December 6, 2022, and the work order was issued on December 15, 2022, with Rs 1 crore paid even before the work commenced.

Furthermore, Shetty had alleged misappropriation of funds in the inauguration ceremony of the Theme Park, highlighting that Rs 2.18 crore was spent on the event attended by the then Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on January 27, with no bills accounting for Rs 60 lakh.

Shetty also raised concerns about land allocation for the Parashurama Theme Park, explaining that a resolution to reserve the land for the park was passed by the Erlapady gram panchayat on November 8, 2019. However, due to various issues, including deemed forest and grazing land concerns, communication with officials, including the tahsildar, deputy commissioner, deputy conservator of forests, and the under-secretary to the revenue department, has been ongoing.