Thousands took part in a silent protest march in Kolhapur on Sunday, calling for the return of 36-year-old female elephant Mahadevi (also called Madhuri) from the Vantara wildlife rescue centre in Gujarat’s Jamnagar.
The march, led by former MP Raju Shetty, began at Nandani and ended outside the district collectorate, where a memorandum was submitted. The elephant, who had resided at the Shri Jinsen Bhattarak Pattacharya Mahaswami Jain math in Nandani for over three decades, was shifted to Vantara earlier this week following a Bombay High Court order, later upheld by the Supreme Court.
The decision followed complaints by an NGO and the Supreme Court-appointed High-Powered Committee (HPC) citing Mahadevi’s poor health and psychological distress in solitary captivity.
At Vantara, Mahadevi is undergoing specialised care, including hydrotherapy, veterinary treatment, and opportunities to socialise with other elephants — deemed essential by experts for her recovery.
Despite this, local sentiment in Kolhapur remains strong. Over 2 lakh people have signed petitions demanding her return, and porting of Jio numbers has reportedly increased as a symbolic protest.
Political leaders from all major parties, including BJP MP Dhananjay Mahadik, Shiv Sena MP Dhairyasheel Mane, and Congress MLC Satej Patil, have expressed support. Mahadik met Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav to seek central intervention.
While Vantara maintains that Mahadevi is being gently rehabilitated in a 3,000-acre sanctuary, Kolhapur’s residents insist her place is back at the Jain monastery that has been her home for most of her life.