Assam: Two elephants detained in Manas National Park while en route to Ambani's Vantara

Guwahati: Two elephants, one adult female and one calf, were detained on Thursday by forest officials in lower Assam’s Barpeta Road.

The elephants were being transported in an animal ambulance (GJ01TX7461) from Tripura to a facility called Vantara, located within Reliance Industries' Jamnagar refinery complex in Gujarat.

Vantara, an amalgam of the Radhe Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust and Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation, is an initiative of Anant Ambani, younger son of Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani.

The detained elephants are currently undergoing verification by forest officials at Manas National Park and Tiger Reserve, sources said. .

This incident comes close on the heels of controversy surrounding the transport of 12 elephants from Tripura to Jamnagar in February.

The transportation of the elephants had come to light when they crossed the Tripura border and reached Patharkandi in Assam‘s Karimganj district on February 18.

Concerns were raised about proper procedure and animal welfare during the long journey.

This follows unease expressed by Tripura Forest Department officials regarding the legality and transparency of the earlier transport of 12 elephants.

The Wildlife Conservation Act restricts the use of elephants for various purposes and mandates specific guidelines for their care.

Critics allege that proper approvals for inter-state wildlife transport may not have been followed.