The relocation of 36-year-old female elephant Mahadevi from Kolhapur to Vantara in Jamnagar has triggered an uproar on social media.
Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra is among those who have demanded that the elephant be returned to her original place. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Kamra wrote, "Yeh desh Ambani ke bete ke baap ka nahi hai. Return Madhuri/Mahadevi to Kolhapur…"
For the unversed, Vantara is the brainchild of Anant Ambani, Mukesh Ambani's son, and is supported by Reliance Industries and the Reliance Foundation.
Meanwhile, former MP and farmer leader Raju Shetti has claimed that the relocation of the elephant was done without considering the emotions of the local community. He has called for a silent morcha demanding the return of the elephant.
On the other hand, Maharashtra Health Minister Prakash Abitkar, who is Kolhapur's Guardian Minister, has discussed with senior officials of Vantara the possibility of the elephant's return.
Speaking to The Indian Express, officials from Vantara have expressed their willingness to return the elephant, provided the proper legal procedure is followed.
Background:
On July 16, the Bombay HC upheld the HPC's (High Powered Committee) decision to relocate the elephant to Vantara's Radhe Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust, citing that an elephant's right to a quality life must take precedence over humans' right to use it for religious purposes.
A bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Neela Gokhale noted in their order that the mental and physical health of the elephant had suffered when it was with a Kolhapur-based trust (Swastishri Jinsen Bhattarak Pattacharya Mutt).
The court dismissed a petition filed by the mutt against the December 2024 and June 2025 orders passed by the HPC to transfer the elephant to the Radhe Krishna Elephant Welfare Trust.
The original transfer was ordered following a complaint lodged by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India about the animal's condition.
The Kolhapur-based trust contended it had owned the elephant since 1992, and that its presence at religious programmes was part of tradition.
But the HC cited a June 2024 report about the elephant's health, diet and nutrition, social environment, hygiene and cleanliness of shelter, veterinary care, and work schedule, and said they "appear to be absolutely dismal."
As per the report, the elephant suffered from "decubital ulcerated wounds" on its hip joints and a few other body parts.
