Vantara Controversy: How Elephant Madhuri Sparked the Boycott Jio Movement
Kolhapur villagers are protesting to bring back Madhuri the elephant from Vantara sanctuary, sparking a mix of emotional, political, and legal battles.
In Kolhapur’s Nandani village, protests have erupted over the relocation of Madhuri, a 36-year-old elephant who has been part of the community for over three decades. Locals have even started porting their Jio SIM cards to other networks in protest, using hashtags like #FreeMadhuri and #BringBackMadhuri to demand her return.
Madhuri, also called Mahadevi, was brought from Karnataka to a Jain temple at the age of three. Over the years, she was used in rituals, rented out for events, and even used for begging. Witnesses say she was controlled using an ankush — a sharp tool — and transported illegally multiple times. In 2023, during an illegal transportation for a procession, the Telangana Forest Department seized her under the Wildlife Protection Act. Since then, she has been under the custody of the wildlife department, not the temple.
Due to her poor health — including foot problems and fractures — the Maharashtra Wildlife Warden recommended rehabilitation. In 2025, the Supreme Court ordered that she be moved to the Vantara sanctuary in Jamnagar, Gujarat. Despite opposition and emotional protests from villagers, Madhuri was relocated. At Vantara, she is receiving medical treatment and therapy.
Animal rights groups PETA India and FIAPO have offered the temple a mechanical elephant to continue rituals without harming animals, but villagers insist Madhuri is part of their family. Political leaders, including CM Devendra Fadnavis, have promised support to bring her back. Vantara has said they acted under court orders but is open to working with the state government to build a rehabilitation centre in Kolhapur with full medical care if legal permissions are granted.
