Guwahati: A team of veterinarians from Vantara, a private zoo owned by industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s youngest son, Anant Ambani, in Jamnagar, Gujarat, has become involved in the case of Geeta, a captive female elephant languishing at Rangagora of Samaguri area in Assam’s Nagaon district.
Geeta has been suffering for approximately two months, initially after being mistakenly shot and subsequently after a road accident during transit for treatment left her with a fractured leg. Reports also suggest the elephant may have lost vision in one eye due to untreated injuries.
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While Vantara, through its social media channels, stated that its “Rapid Response Team was deployed to assist the critically injured elephant,” the Assam Forest Department has offered a different narrative. The department refuted claims that Vantara is providing treatment, asserting that the team was only granted permission to “assess its condition & help in treatment.”
This discrepancy has raised significant questions. Why was an external, privately-run zoo’s team deemed necessary to assess the situation of an ailing captive elephant within Assam? This naturally leads to the crucial query: Is the Assam Forest Department not adequately equipped or capable of providing comprehensive treatment to a single injured elephant?
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Furthermore, the exact capacity in which the Vantara team is operating remains unclear, fueling speculation about the extent of their involvement and authority.
Geeta’s plight is a distressing one. Originally part of the Kaziranga National Park’s safari team, the elephant was first injured after being mistakenly shot – a bullet remains lodged in her leg. Her condition worsened when, about two months ago, an accident occurred while she was being transported to Guwahati for treatment, resulting in a fractured leg. Adding to her suffering, reports indicate that Geeta may now be blind in one eye due to alleged neglect of her injuries.
Compounding the issue is the fact that Geeta, though privately owned, appears to have been abandoned, with only a caretaker providing basic necessities.
The apparent lack of timely intervention from the Assam Forest Department has triggered public outcry, highlighting potential systemic failures in wildlife rescue protocols within the state.
On May 2, a Vantara team reached out to assess Geeta’s health, and further medical personnel from the organization are expected to conduct a more thorough examination to explore treatment options.
While the intervention of Vantara has been described as “truly appreciable” given Geeta’s deteriorating condition, the Assam Forest Department maintains that the elephant has been under continuous treatment since her initial injury on March 8, 2025.
They state that this treatment is being supervised by Padma Shri awardee Dr. KK Sharma, Head of Surgery at the College of Veterinary Science, Khanapara, and his team. According to the department, the Vantara team’s role is limited to assessment and providing assistance in the ongoing treatment.
In a separate statement, Assam Forest Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary claimed that the department responded swiftly after Geeta’s road accident in Samaguri. Minister Patowary, in a social media post, affirmed that treatment commenced immediately under Dr. Sharma’s leadership, with continuous medical care and round-the-clock monitoring being provided.
Vantara, in its statement, stated that it is “committed to helping any wild animals in distress”, asserting that deploying their Rapid Response Team for Geeta was in line with this core objective and followed the acquisition of “necessary legal clearances from the Assam Forest Department.”
Despite the clarifications from the Forest Department and Vantara regarding the permissions and ongoing treatment, the initial questions remain pertinent.
The need for a private entity from outside the state to assess the condition of a captive elephant within Assam raises concerns about the existing infrastructure and capabilities of the state’s own wildlife management system.
The exact capacity in which Vantara is operating and the reasons behind their involvement beyond mere assessment will likely remain a subject of public interest and scrutiny as Geeta’s treatment progresses.