Special Correspondent
Pune: In Urwade village, Mulshi, Pune, a grand procession led by Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Shankar Mandekar, who was recently elected from the Bhor constituency, has sparked controversy after a video of the event went viral on social media. The procession, where Mandekar was seen riding an elephant, was organized to celebrate his election victory. It involved a lavish public ceremony with flower showers and the distribution of 125 kilograms of pedhas (sweets) to villagers.
However, following the viral video, Aditya Paranjpe, the Honorary Wildlife Warden of Pune district, investigated the event and found violations of the Wildlife Protection Act. The elephant procession was conducted without the required permissions, violating regulations concerning the use of animals for public events.
As a result, the forest department has filed a case against the organizers of the procession and the president of the Shri Ganapati Panchatan Temple Trust in Sangli, who provided the elephant. The forest authorities have taken action, registering a case under the Wildlife Protection Act for the illegal use of the elephant during the procession. The investigation revealed that necessary precautions and permits were not obtained for such an event, leading to the legal action.
