In the wake of a harrowing incident during the 148th Rath Yatra in Ahmedabad where three elephants ran amok, injuring at least two people and triggering widespread panic, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India has called on the Gujarat government to prohibit the use of live elephants in public processions. The animal rights group has also offered to donate a life-like mechanical elephant to the Jagannath Temple—or any temple of the government's choosing—on the condition that it pledges never to use live elephants again.
In a letter addressed to the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Bhupendrabhai Patel, PETA India cited serious public safety and animal welfare concerns. The organization noted that video footage from the event shows elephants displaying signs of psychological distress, including repetitive swaying and head bobbing, and being subjected to the banned ankush weapon. The group warned that such stressful, noisy environments can be disastrous for captive wild animals and the people around them.
“This was a narrowly avoided catastrophe. Elephants are wild animals who are distressed by crowds and noise. Their panic puts the lives of everyone nearby at risk,” said Poorva Joshipura, Director at PETA India. “We respectfully urge the Honourable Chief Minister to enact a policy that ends the use of live elephants in public processions. Gujarat now has an opportunity to lead the nation with compassion and foresight.”
In its letter, PETA India referenced a disturbing national trend: at least 14 incidents in 2024 and over 20 in early 2025 where captive elephants in religious processions became distressed and aggressive, leading to six human deaths and multiple injuries in Kerala alone.
As a humane and practical alternative, PETA India highlighted the growing adoption of life-like mechanical elephants in temples across South India. These creations—constructed from rubber, steel, and fibre—are about three metres tall, weigh 800 kilograms, and are capable of realistic movements such as flapping ears, moving trunks, and even carrying ceremonial idols. Mounted on a wheelbase and powered by electricity, they are easy to manoeuvre and pose no threat to public safety or animal welfare. Ten of the 19 mechanical elephants in use were donated by PETA India.
The group emphasized that switching to mechanical elephants aligns with the state’s existing pro-animal initiatives, such as Karuna Abhiyan, and called the shift an opportunity for Gujarat to set a national example in ethical and forward-thinking religious practices.
PETA India’s motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment,” and the organization continues to campaign against speciesism—a worldview that prioritizes human interests over those of other species.
Read the full letter to Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel here
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