Indrayani Bridge Tragedy: Sanjay Raut Slams Mahayuti, Tags Govt as ‘Panauti’, Corners Ajit Pawar

Mumbai: A fresh political storm has erupted in Maharashtra following the tragic collapse of an old bridge over the Indrayani River in Pune, which claimed four lives. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut has sharply attacked the ruling Mahayuti alliance and held Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar accountable, questioning his role as Pune’s guardian minister.

Addressing a press conference on Monday, Raut demanded, “Ajit Pawar is the guardian minister of Pune, so will he take responsibility for the accident?”

Raut didn’t hold back, lashing out at the Eknath Shinde-led government for what he described as repeated failures in governance. “Since this government came to power, accidents have become routine. This is a Panauti Sarkar (cursed government),” he alleged.

The collapse of the British-era bridge occurred amid a large gathering of people, and one of the survivors stated that the structure gave way under the weight of the crowd. Rescue operations are ongoing, and officials have confirmed four deaths and multiple injuries.

In addition to the bridge collapse, Raut also questioned recent developments in Malvan, where a platform near the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was reportedly demolished. “A grand event was held there a few months ago—now that the platform is gone, is there corruption involved?” Raut asked.