Elephant relocated to Gujarat facility run by Vantara from Kolhapur; devotees bid emotional adieu
The elephant was transferred to representatives of the Radhe Krishna Elephant Welfare Trust run by Vantara, an animal welfare centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat, from the Kolhapur mutt on Monday.
The relocation took place after the Supreme Court dismissed a petition filed by the mutt, challenging the Bombay High Court order upholding the decision of a High Powered Committee (HPC) to relocate the animal to the Gujarat facility.
The pachyderm was given an emotional farewell by devotees of Swasthishri Jinsen Bhattarak Pattacharya Mahaswami Sanstha, a religious body, as well as residents of Nandani village under Karvir tehsil of Kolhapur late Monday evening.
On July 16, the HC upheld the HPC's decision to relocate the jumbo to the Gujarat-based facility, citing an elephant's right to quality life must take precedence over humans' right to use it for religious purposes.
A Bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Neela Gokhale noted in their order that the mental and physical health of the elephant -- Mahadevi alias Madhuri -- suffered when it was with a Kolhapur-based trust.
The court dismissed a petition filed by the mutt against December 2024 and June 2025 orders passed by the HPC to transfer the elephant to the Radhe Krishna Elephant Welfare Trust.
According to officials, the elephant will reach the Gujarat facility on Wednesday in an animal ambulance.
A large number of villagers came to bid farewell to the elephant with whom they developed a bond over the last several years.
The original transfer was ordered following a complaint lodged by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India about the animal's condition.
The Kolhapur-based trust contended it owned the elephant since 1992, and its presence at religious programmes was a part of a tradition.
But the High Court cited a June 2024 report about the elephant's health, diet and nutrition, social environment, hygiene and cleanliness of shelter, veterinary care and work schedule, and said they "appear to be absolutely dismal".
As per the report, the elephant suffered from "decubital ulcerated wounds" on its hip joints and a few other body parts.
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