Bhubaneswar: A day after a 40-ft tall statue dedicated to hockey players collapsed in Odisha’s Rourkela, the civic authorities of the city lodged an FIR before police alleging the role of some miscreants behind the incident.

The giant statue had been installed near Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium and Rourkela Airport in January this year ahead of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023.

The statue fell to the ground during a devastating thunderstorm in the Steel City yesterday.

In their FIR before Chhend police, the authorities of RMC alleged that some miscreants had cut a portion of the giant structure by using some sharp objects. As a result, the statue collapsed during the thunderstorm, they claimed.

On the other hand, the locals blamed sub-standard work for the collapse of the giant structure.

According to sources, Rourkela Smart City had spent Rs 30.68 lakh for construction of the statue, which was built by a Bhubaneswar-based firm just in three months. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had unveiled the structure ahead of the Hockey World Cup.