Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has assured that the state government will intervene in the legal process to facilitate the return of Mahadevi, a 36-year-old arthritic elephant, from Reliance Foundation’s Vantara animal rescue and rehabilitation centre in Jamnagar to her long-time home at a Jain shrine in Kolhapur.
Following a meeting with senior Vantara officials, Fadnavis said the centre has “no intention” of keeping Mahadevi and is caring for her only in compliance with a Supreme Court directive. “They have assured full cooperation and will join the petition we plan to file for her safe return,” he posted on X.
Mahadevi, also called Madhuri, had been with the Swastishri Jinsen Bhattarak trust at Nandani, Kolhapur, since 1992. She was relocated to Vantara on July 28 after the Supreme Court upheld a Bombay high court order directing her transfer for better medical care, following a petition from animal welfare groups, including PETA, citing her poor health.
Fadnavis also announced that the state forest department could establish a rehabilitation facility near Nandani Math with amenities comparable to Vantara’s to ensure Mahadevi’s welfare upon her return.
The Supreme Court’s decision was based on the need for improved care, but public sentiment in Maharashtra has strongly favoured bringing Mahadevi back to her decades-long home.
