Maharashtra to file review petition to bring back elephant Madhuri to Kolhapur

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday held a meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, several state ministers and representatives of Nandani Math to discuss the Madhuri elephant case.

The meeting concluded with a decision that both the state government and Nandani Math will file review petitions in the Supreme Court to bring back Madhuri, a 36-year-old elephant also known as Mahadevi, to Nandani Math in Kolhapur.

Madhuri has been living at the Math for 34 years.

On July 16, 2025, the Bombay High Court ordered Madhuri's relocation to Vantara, a wildlife rehabilitation centre in Jamnagar in Gujarat, run by the Reliance Foundation.

The decision followed concerns raised by PETA India regarding the elephant’s health. The Supreme Court upheld the order on July 29.

Following the court rulings, protests took place in Kolhapur. Over 2 lakh people signed a petition asking for Madhuri’s return, citing her role in local religious practices.

Former MP Raju Shetti alleged that PETA and Vantara were working against cultural traditions and called for a boycott of Jio services. Many users reportedly ported out of Jio in protest. Raju Shetti said the boycott campaign will continue and may expand to other states including Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Congress MLC Satej Patil said that the government had responded to public concern by calling the meeting. He also said that since the court's ruling was based on government and forest department reports, the state should now play an active role in seeking Madhuri’s return.

Chief Minister Fadnavis said the state will form a team that includes veterinarians to oversee Madhuri's care. This plan will be submitted to the Supreme Court. The government will also support Nandani Math in its legal efforts.

The meeting was attended by Chandrakant Patil, Ganesh Naik, Hasan Mushrif, Girish Mahajan and Prakash Abitkar, along with public figures including Prakash Awade, Raju Shetti, Satej Patil, Sadabhau Khot and Dhairyasheel Mane.

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