Peta India Objects to Elephant Mahadevi's Return
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta), India, has formally opposed a proposal to relocate elephant Mahadevi, also known as Madhuri, from the Radhe Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust (Vantara) rehabilitation centre in Gujarat back to the Nandani Math in Kolhapur. The objection comes after the Nandani Math, in coordination with the state government and Vantara, approached the Supreme Court-appointed high-powered committee seeking permission for Mahadevi's return. The committee, chaired by Deepak Sharma, will hear the matter on June 23 via an online session.
Health Improvements at Vantara
Khushboo Gupta, vice-president of policy at Peta India, stated, “Returning the elephant to the Math would undo the health improvements the animal has made at Vantara, where she now receives specialised veterinary care and lives among other elephants, something critical for her wellbeing as a social animal.” According to Peta India, the proposal would effectively send Mahadevi back to conditions similar to those she endured for 33 years—alone, in chains, and housed in a bleak shed. The organisation argued that such prolonged isolation and lack of proper care led to severe distress, contributing to incidents where Mahadevi killed the Math’s chief priest in 2017 and injured a man during a procession in 2022.
Court Directives and Welfare Concerns
Peta India highlighted that Mahadevi was removed from the Math due to its failure to meet her physical, social, and environmental needs. Orders from the high-powered committee on June 3, 2025, and the Bombay high court on July 16, 2025, later upheld by the Supreme Court, directed that the elephant be permanently rehabilitated at Vantara. The organisation also noted that Mahadevi suffers from multiple health problems, including chronic foot disease, arthritis, and behavioural trauma from prolonged solitary confinement and pain. Since her relocation, she has had the opportunity to socialise for the first time in decades, aligning more closely with the natural behaviour of female elephants, which typically live in family herds.
Termed a 'Grave Betrayal'
Terming the proposal a “grave betrayal,” Gupta said, “Sending Mahadevi back to her previous environment will disregard both her welfare and court directives recognising her as a sentient being with physical and psychological needs.” The high-powered committee's decision on June 23 will determine the fate of Mahadevi's relocation.
