Pune: Bhor MLA’s Celebratory Elephant Procession Faces Investigation for Violation of Wildlife Laws
Pune, 4th February 2025: The Maharashtra State Forest Department has initiated an investigation into an alleged illegal elephant procession that took place in Pirangut on Sunday night. The procession, organized by Bhor MLA Shankar Mandekar’s team, was reportedly held to celebrate his victory in the recent assembly elections.
According to department officials, the event was planned by villagers and the gram panchayat of Urawade. The group had requested an elephant from Sangli district for the occasion. Honorary wildlife warden of Pune district, Aditya Paranjape, became aware of the procession after visuals began circulating on social media early on Monday. Upon noticing the incident, Paranjape quickly dispatched a team to investigate.
The investigation revealed that the female elephant used in the procession belonged to Rahul Balkawade of the Ganpati Panchayat Devasthan in Tasgaon. Balkawade had previously received permission from the additional chief wildlife warden of Kolhapur Circle to transport the elephant. However, the permission was explicitly for transportation purposes only and did not authorize its use in processions or palanquin events. The official order also included a directive that the elephant should not be taken to crowded locations, and that experts should be on standby for emergencies.
Paranjape commented, “The elephant and its owner returned to Sangli the same night. We are currently working on identifying the individuals involved in this incident.”
Bhor MLA Shankar Mandekar defended his team’s actions, stating, “I believed all necessary permissions were in place, and my team assures me that everything was done correctly. We will present the relevant permission documents to the forest department on Tuesday.”
Pratap Jagtap, Range Forest Officer of Bhor (Pune Forest Division), added, “The organizers claim they obtained permission for the procession from our division. They are expected to submit the documents on Tuesday. If the permissions are found to be in violation, we may file an FIR.”
The Sangli Forest Department is also involved in the investigation, searching for the responsible parties. Deputy Conservator of Forests in Sangli, Neeta Katti, stated, “Our department only grants permission for the transportation of elephants, and processions are rarely allowed. Anyone who owns an elephant must register it under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and only in specific cases can they lawfully possess them.”
If the investigation concludes that the procession was unauthorized, an offence will be registered against the individuals involved, with penalties that may include fines and imprisonment.
