Why Are There Protests In Maharashtra Over The Transfer Of Elephant Mahadevi To Vantara?

Last Updated:August 04, 2025, 12:47 IST

Elephant Mahadevi’s relocation to Vantara in Gujarat was backed by medical evidence, official inspections, and SC orders. Yet, the move has triggered protests across Maharashtra

The elephant, Mahadevi, was moved to Vantara from Kolhapur in late July.

She spent over three decades chained to concrete, alone and in pain. Her legs bore the marks of shackles, her body showed signs of rot, and her spirit broke long ago. Elephant Mahadevi, once paraded through religious processions and used for profit, was finally freed on court orders and moved to a sanctuary in Gujarat. But instead of relief, her rescue has triggered outrage.

In Maharashtra, protests have erupted over the transfer of Mahadevi from a Jain math in Kolhapur to Vantara’s Radhe Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust in Jamnagar. Religious groups have called the move disrespectful. Politicians have labelled it high-handed. And despite two court verdicts backing the relocation, including from the Supreme Court, the narrative gaining ground is one of victimhood: that a sacred institution was wronged, and that the elephant was “taken away."

But the facts tell another story, one of sustained abuse, unlawful transport, ignored warnings, and a rescue delayed for years. So why, after the law has spoken and the elephant has been freed, is a protest now raging?

33 Years Of Captivity

Mahadevi, also known as Madhuri, was brought to the Jain math in Kolhapur when she was just three years old. Reportedly taken from Karnataka, she spent more than three decades in isolation, confined to a concrete shed with her legs shackled in chains. Controlled with a banned ankush (a spiked iron rod), she was paraded through public processions, made to beg on the streets, and even forced to roll children in her trunk for entertainment. During this time, she never had contact with another elephant.

Her medical condition deteriorated slowly and painfully. Long-term confinement on hard flooring left her with chronic foot rot, cracked nails, worn footpads, and grade 4 arthritis. In December 2017, Mahadevi fatally attacked the chief priest of the math. According to behavioural experts, such violent outbursts are often the result of extreme psychological distress among elephants kept in unnatural, solitary conditions.

Following the incident, the math’s trustees acknowledged their inability to manage her and wrote to the Forest Department in 2018, expressing their willingness to hand her over.

A Pattern Of Illegality

Even after that letter, Mahadevi’s exploitation continued. Between 2012 and 2023, she was transported without permission at least 13 times across state lines, including to Telangana for religious processions. These unauthorised movements violated Section 48A of the Wildlife Protection Act, which prohibits the interstate transport of wildlife without forest department clearance.

On 30 July 2023, the Telangana Forest Department registered a formal wildlife offence and seized Mahadevi. Custody was handed over to the Maharashtra Forest Department, and from that point on, she was no longer the property of the temple. Her status changed to seized government property, a fact later reaffirmed in court.

Veterinary Warnings Ignored

A veterinary inspection in August 2023 by three government-appointed doctors confirmed Mahadevi’s deteriorating health. She was found to be suffering from untreated wounds, foot rot, swaying behaviour, and continued psychological stress. A follow-up inspection in June 2024 by the Maharashtra Chief Wildlife Warden led to a formal recommendation: Mahadevi should be rehabilitated in a facility that could provide specialist care.

Yet, even after being granted several months to improve welfare conditions, the math failed to implement meaningful changes. A second follow-up in November 2024 found only cosmetic improvements. Her suffering continued.

A Court-Mandated Rescue

In the meantime, PETA India submitted two complaints to the Supreme Court’s High Powered Committee (HPC), supported by photos, medical documentation, and records of unlawful transport. On 27 December 2024, the HPC issued a detailed order for Mahadevi’s transfer to Vantara’s Radhe Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust in Gujarat.

The temple challenged the order, first in the Bombay High Court, which dismissed their petition on 16 July 2025, and then in the Supreme Court. On 28 July 2025, the apex court upheld the rescue, ruled in favour of Mahadevi’s welfare, and ordered her transfer to be completed with her comfort as the top priority.

Mob Resistance During The Transfer

Despite being legally binding, the court order was met with violent resistance. On 30 July 2025, when forest officials and sanctuary staff arrived to rescue Mahadevi, they were attacked by a mob. Stones were hurled at the rescue team. The elephant was nevertheless moved safely, under judicial supervision, to Vantara in Jamnagar.

The transfer marked the first time in 33 years that Mahadevi walked without chains, on natural terrain, with access to specialised veterinary care and other elephants.

Life At Vantara

Now in the care of the Radhe Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust, Mahadevi is undergoing treatment for chronic arthritis and foot damage. Her therapy includes hydrotherapy, medical observation, and, crucially, freedom of movement and companionship—things denied to her for most of her life.

Vantara, the sanctuary she now calls home, was chosen based on expert veterinary and legal recommendations. It is equipped to provide specialised care for elephants with chronic injuries, trauma, and psychological distress. For Mahadevi, it offers not just safety but a complete reversal of the conditions she endured for decades — freedom of movement, medical treatment, companionship, and peace.

Why People In Maharashtra Are Protesting

In the days following Mahadevi’s transfer to Vantara, several religious and political groups in Maharashtra raised objections to the move. The core of the protest is the belief that the elephant was part of an established religious tradition at the Jain math and that her removal disregarded cultural sentiment. Some have claimed that the temple was unfairly targeted, while others have questioned the decision to move her to Gujarat.

However, Mahadevi had not legally belonged to the math since 2023, when she was seized by the forest department following violations of wildlife protection laws. Her relocation came after repeated veterinary inspections, formal complaints, and was approved by both the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court. Despite this, protests have continued, with the issue becoming a flashpoint in a larger debate over faith, tradition, and animal welfare.

A Humane Solution Offered

To de-escalate tensions, both PETA India and the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organizations (FIAPO) have offered the math a mechanical elephant. The idea is to enable rituals to continue without inflicting further suffering on sentient animals. While some have welcomed the idea, others have rejected it outright, further politicising an act of compassion.

Mahadevi Is Free, But The Battle Isn’t Over

The Supreme Court will take up the matter again on 11 August 2025, to ensure its directions have been followed. Mahadevi’s wellbeing, meanwhile, is being closely monitored. She is unshackled, surrounded by other elephants, and receiving care that was denied to her for over three decades.

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The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d...Read More

The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d...

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First Published:

August 04, 2025, 12:44 IST

News explainers Why Are There Protests In Maharashtra Over The Transfer Of Elephant Mahadevi To Vantara?

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