The right arm of the large Queen Channamma statue, located at the Queen Channamma Circle along the National Highway in Kittur, Belagavi district, broke off and fell on Monday evening at 4 pm. The arm, which was holding a sword, detached from the bronze figure. The cause of the damage is currently unknown, though sources suggest that rust caused by rainwater may have weakened the structure. The Tahsildar, taluk panchayat officials, and police visited the site to inspect the incident.
The statue was originally installed in 1997 and was relocated during the highway expansion project. It received a fresh coat of paint last year due to fading colors. The monument stands 50 feet high from the ground, with the figure of Channamma on a horse measuring 10 feet in height and weighing one ton. The state-level Kittur Utsava festival is scheduled to take place from October 23 to 25.
