Vantara to back Maharashtra govt petition to bring back elephant Madhuri, says CM Fadnavis

CM Fadnavis, in his X post, also informed that the Vantara team was ready to build a rehabilitation centre for the elephant near Nandani. PIC/ @CMOMaharashtra ON X

Vantara, the animal rehabilitation centre in Jamnagar, will back the Maharashtra government's plea in the Supreme Court to bring elephant Madhuri back to a Jain monastery in Kolhapur, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Wednesday.

He added that a dedicated rescue centre will be set up for Madhuri near the monastery in Nandani, Kolhapur district, according to the news agency PTI.

"I had a detailed discussion with the Vantara team in Mumbai today. The good news is they've agreed to join the Maharashtra government's petition in the Supreme Court to help facilitate Madhuri's return to the math," Fadnavis posted on X.

Madhuri, a 36-year-old elephant who had lived at the Shri Jinsen Bhattarak Pattacharya Mahaswami Jain math in Nandani for over 30 years, was recently moved to Vantara's Jamnagar facility after a court order, a move that sparked protests.

Thousands of people participated in a silent march in Kolhapur on Sunday, demanding that Madhuri (also called Mahadevi) be brought back. Vantara said it did not request the relocation of the elephant to its centre but served only as a "court-appointed recipient facility", as per the news agency PTI.

CM Fadnavis, in his X post, also informed that the Vantara team was ready to build a rehabilitation centre for the elephant near Nandani.

Later, talking to reporters at Vaijapur in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar after attending a function organised by religious leader Rangiri Maharaj, he said a rescue centre will be built on the periphery of the Nandani Math for the elephant, with facilities recommended by a Supreme Court-appointed high-powered committee.

"We have also spoken to the people of Vantara and sought their support for this. They have agreed to it," the chief minister said, reported news agency PTI.

The Bombay High Court on July 16 ordered Madhuri to be rehabilitated at Vantara's facility after an NGO complained to the forest department and the SC-appointed committee about her deteriorating health and psychological suffering.

The Math challenged it, but the Supreme Court on July 25 upheld the HC order.

(With PTI inputs)