On Sunday, August 3, 2025, a large number of people came to Kolhapur to silently demand that the 36-year-old elephant Mahadevi, also known as Madhuri, be returned to NGO Vantara's wildlife rehabilitation facility in Jamnagar, Gujarat. Vantara is the brainchild of Anant Ambani, son of industrialist Mukesh Ambani, and is supported by Reliance Industries Limited and Reliance Foundation
The march, led by former Swabhimani Kisan Sangathan president and former MP Raju Shetty, began at 5 a.m. from Nandani, and concluded at 5.45 p.m. at the Kolhapur District Collectorate, where a formal appeal was submitted. Today, we walked 45 kilometers. Over 30,000 people had gathered from Kolhpaur, Sangli and Satara. More than 1.5 lakh mobile users in the Kolhapur, Sangli, and Satara districts have ported their numbers to other networks in protest, and they joined a boycott of Jio, the telecom company owned by Reliance Group. We plan to carry out similar protests in north Karnataka, especially since it’s a border region and several temples there also have elephants. A crucial hearing is scheduled tomorrow in a Bengaluru court,” Mr. Shetty stated. “This is a tactic by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), acting as a slave to (Mr. Anant) Ambani's goals, which include acquiring temple elephants. He called it a conspiracy and stated, "We will file a formal complaint with PETA's head office in the United States, and seek cancellation of their license in India." Mahadevi was in tears when she was taken away, Mr. Shetty said. He stated, "They wanted her because she's beautiful, even though that facility (Vantara) already has over 200 elephants." Demanding Mahadevi's return, more than two lakh signatures had been collected from all over Kolhapur. A petition filed by a Jain math in Kolhapur, Swasthishri Jinsen Bhattarak Pattacharya Mahaswami Sanstha, challenging the transfer of the enslaved elephant Mahadevi to Vantara was dismissed by the Bombay High Court on July 16, 2025. The math has owned the elephant since 1992. Despite having health issues, it was reportedly kept in solitary confinement and used for religious processions. The elephant had severe foot rot, ulcerated wounds, overgrown toenails, and signs of psychological distress, according to reports from a sub-committee established by the powerful committee. Though the math submitted certificates claiming improvement in Mahadevi’s health, the court noted that these were “cursory one-pagers” inconsistent with photographic and veterinary evidence.
Mahadevi's transfer has sparked widespread local resentment despite the legal backing. Her presence at the Jain math, according to many, had spiritual and cultural significance. BJP MP Dhananjay Mahadik recently submitted a request to Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, seeking her return.
State Health Minister Prakash Abitkar stated that Vantara executives had promised full cooperation in finding a solution in response to public outcry. The statement by Vantara: On August 3, Vantara, in a statement issued to The Hindu, said that there has been considerable misinformation surrounding the transfer of the elephant Mahadevi also known as, Madhuri, from a math in Kolhapur, to Vantara.
Since 2022, the respected animal welfare organization PETA had been monitoring the elephant's condition. It filed a comprehensive complaint with the Ministry of Environment and Forests' High Powered Committee (HPC) on October 31, 2023. The statement continued, "The complaint annexed photographs, veterinary reports, and records pointing to the elephant's serious physical injuries and psychological trauma, as well as evidence of her commercial and illegal use." The statement went on to say that the elephant had been moved 13 times from Maharashtra to Telangana between 2012 and 2023, frequently without the Forest Department's permission. Under Sections 48A and 54 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, the Telangana Forest Department filed a Wildlife Offence POR No. 12-07/2022-23 against B on January 8, 2023. Ismail, the elephant's mahout, for violating the law by using Mahadevi in a public procession. The offence was later compounded upon the payment of ?25,000 — seen as an admission of guilt — and custody was returned to a local handler in Kolhapur.
“Reports and photographs documented that the elephant was being used commercially. She was used for begging, paraded in public, and sent on public procession, including for Muharram. She was controlled with the illegal metal ankush and forced to sit in the trunk with children. The Mutt reportedly auctioned the opportunity to perform Pooja with the elephant, effectively making access to her a commodity, which was one of the most shocking practices. In 2017, the elephant had also fatally injured the head priest of the Mutt raising long-standing safety concerns,” Vantara’s statement said.