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Himachal girl’s claim of surviving 34 snake-bites in 3 years: A mystery or mental disorder?

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Mysterious Himachal snakebite girl

SHIMLA- A mysterious story of a girl from Trans-Giri region of Himachal Pradesh has been doing rounds of social media and has also attracted attention of the main-stream media as well.

Manisha, an 18-years-old girl from a remote region in district Sirmaur of Himachal Pradesh, caught attention of media when on Saturday she was brought to a hospital in Nahan. Her father claimed she was bitten by the snake and lost consciousness thereafter. However, the doctors couldn’t find any trace of venom in her blood or sign of snake-bite. The girl retained consciousness after few hours without any treatment or dose of anti-venom.

A native of Pota Village, in Manal Panchayat in Trans-Giri region of Shillai, Manisha and her parents reportedly made an unbelievable claim that for the last three years, Manisha has been bitten by snakes for the 34th time. The girl further claimed she has survived all the bites.

Manisha, in a statement to a daily, said,

I have been bitten by snakes over 30 times in the past three years. The first time I was bitten was near a river in my village. Recently, I was bitten by a white snake. Whenever I see a snake I get enchanted and then it bites me. There was some time two years ago when I did not get bitten. During school I have been repeatedly bitten by a snake, at times even twice or thrice a day.

A report in the same daily also said that the medical records show she was bitten for the 34th time.

Her father Sumar Sharma told an English Daily,

None has seen a snake but one can see the impressions of the fangs on her body. We took her to panditji, who said she had a link with snakes from her previous birth,

he said.

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The parents feel it was due to the blessings of their deity that she has been surviving the deadly bites.

As per the local forest officer,

I have no idea which snake has bitten her. We have Russell’s Vipers in Shillai and other areas of Sirmaur. But rattle snakes are also common. Non-poisonous snakes may have bitten her.

However, the doctors at the Dr. YS Parmar Medical College and Hospital, Nahan, and anti-venom specialists are not convinced with this story.

Dr KK Prashar, medical superintendent, Nahan medical college, said that the Medical College has suggested help of psychological counseller for the girl.

It can be an imagination. It could be a coincident that the girl was bitten by non-poisonous snakes, but 34 times is quite unbelievable. We believe in test reports and so far none of the tests confirmed presence of any type of snake venom in her blood. There are no marks of snake bites either.

he said.

Meanwhile, a Shimla-based veterinarian has come up with an interesting explanation regarding the possibility of development of anti-venom properties in the girl due to repeated snake-bites.

There is possibility that girl is bitten by snakes and the blood may have developed a mechanism to undo the effect of the venom,

he said.

On this, the experts at the department of pharmacology at All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi also believe it to be a case of bites from non-poisonous snakes.

There have been reports where human body has developed antibodies against snake venom but the quantity usually is not enough to provide long-term protection. Some people are known to have survived successive snakebites, but whether it’s due to sufficient concentration of antibodies hasn’t been established,

said Dr YK Gupta, head of department.

Head of the Psychiatry department at Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla, Dr Ravi Chand Sharma, also expressed his disbelief about the claims. He suggested that adolescences are very vulnerable to what is called “attention seeking”. Teens can create such stories to get attention of others.

I don’t think it is true. It can be an attention-catching tactic. This is common among children to say unusual things to catch attention,

he told the English daily.

As a matter of fact, the Trans-Giri region has not seen enough development and its ways and culture is mostly tribal in nature. People here still believe in mythological tales and beliefs associated with local deities. The statements of the parents also support the aforesaid statement. While, this claim is difficult to prove, it is also not possible to believe it.

Madan has studied English Literature and Journalism from HP University and lives in Shimla. He is an amateur photographer and has been writing on topics ranging from environmental, socio-economic, development programs, education, eco-tourism, eco-friendly lifestyle and to green technologies for over 9 years now. He has an inclination for all things green, wonderful and loves to live in solitude. When not writing, he can be seen wandering, trying to capture the world around him in his DSLR lens.

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Kotkhai Custodial Death Case: CBI Court Sentences IGP Zaidi, 7 Other Policemen to Life Imprisonment

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Zahur H Zaidi

SHIMLA – A special CBI court has convicted and sentenced Inspector General of Police (IGP) Zahur Haider Zaidi and seven other policemen to life imprisonment in connection with the 2017 custodial death case of 29-year-old Suraj Singh.

CBI Public Prosecutor Amit Jindal argued for exemplary punishment, emphasizing the gravity of the crime.

After considering the arguments, CBI Special Judge Alka Malik sentenced the eight police personnel to life imprisonment.

On January 18, the accused were found guilty under Sections 302, 330, 348, 218, 195, 196, 201, and 120B of the IPC in connection with the custodial death of suspect Suraj Singh. However, the court acquitted former Shimla SP DW Negi.

The incident occurred on July 18, 2017, when Suraj Singh, an accused in the alleged gang rape and murder of a minor girl in Kotkhai, Shimla district, died in police custody. The CBI investigation revealed that Suraj Singh was tortured and murdered by police personnel.

The court convicted Zaidi, who was the then Inspector General of Police, along with seven other policemen, including Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Manoj Joshi, Sub-Inspector Rajinder Singh, Assistant Sub-Inspector Deep Chand Sharma, Head Constables Mohan Lal, Surat Singh, and Rafee Mohammad, and Constable Ranjit Sateta.

CBI public prosecutor Amit Jindal stated that the court sentenced the eight convicts to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh each on them. The accused were convicted under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including murder, voluntarily causing hurt to extort confession, and wrongful confinement to extract confession.

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HP Cabinet Decisions: Approves Pilot Study on Cannabis Cultivation, Seema College Renamed as Raja Virbhadra Singh Govt. College

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HP Cabinet Decisions January 2025

Shimla-The State Cabinet, in its recent meeting held at Dharamshala in Kangra district, made several key decisions across various sectors.

Cannabis Cultivation Study:

The Cabinet approved a pilot study on cannabis cultivation, which will be jointly conducted by Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Krishi Vishvavidyalaya in Kangra and Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture in Solan. The study aims to evaluate the potential of cannabis cultivation and recommend future actions. The Agriculture Department will serve as the nodal agency for this initiative.

Disaster Relief for Tandi Village:

The Cabinet extended the special relief package for disaster-affected families to those impacted by the fire in Tandi Village, Kullu. Under the package, families with fully damaged houses will receive Rs. 7 lakh, those with partially damaged houses will receive Rs. 1 lakh, and families who lost cowsheds will receive Rs. 50,000. Additionally, monthly rental assistance of Rs. 5,000 will be provided to affected families until June 30, 2025.

Robotic Surgery Equipment Procurement:

The Cabinet approved Rs. 56 crore for the procurement of state-of-the-art machinery and equipment for robotic surgery at AIMSS Chamiyana in Shimla and Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College in Tanda, Kangra. The approval follows a model similar to AIIMS New Delhi, aimed at enhancing medical facilities.

Forest Department Order Amendment:

The Cabinet amended the Forest Department’s previous order to allow the extraction of berberis roots (Kashmal) until February 15, 2025. Furthermore, it permitted the transportation of forest produce extracted from open spaces prior to January 4, 2025, until February 15, 2025, in line with the HP Forest Produce Transit (Land Routes) Rules, 2013.

Ropeway Project and Transportation Improvements:

The Cabinet approved the establishment of a ropeway between Kullu Bus Stand and Peej Paragliding Point. Additionally, it sanctioned the procurement of 24 air-conditioned super luxury buses for the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) to improve passenger services.

Rural Development and Infrastructure Reorganization:

Nine posts of Block Development Officers will be filled in the Department of Rural Development. The Cabinet also approved the reorganization of the PWD National Highway Circle in Shahpur, creating two new divisions, Nankhadi and Kholighat, and the Kharahan Section.

State Taxes and Excise Enforcement:

To enhance enforcement, the Cabinet approved the allocation of 100 motorbikes to field offices of the State Taxes and Excise Department for surprise checks and improved monitoring.

State Cadre Posts:

The Cabinet decided to bring the posts of Drivers, all Class-III and Class-IV posts in District Collector (DC) offices, and staff members in the offices of the three Divisional Commissioners, Director of Land Records, Revenue Training Institute (Jogindernagar), Directorate of Consolidation of Holdings (Shimla), and the Settlement Offices in Kangra and Shimla under the State Cadre. This move aims to standardize governance and improve administrative efficiency.

Educational Institutions Renamed:

The Cabinet approved the renaming of several educational institutions. Government College Seema in Shimla will now be known as Raja Virbhadra Singh Government College Seema. GGSSS Sports Hostel (Girls) Jubbal will be renamed Sh. Ram Lal Thakur GGSSS Sports Hostel (Girls), Jubbal, and Government College Khad in Una will be renamed Mohan Lal Dutt Government College Khad.

 

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HP Cabinet Decisions: Eligibility Criteria for BPL List, Special Task Force to Combat Drug Abuse & Other Decisions

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hp cabinet meeting january 9, 2024

Shimla-The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet, in its meeting held on Thursday, approved the inclusion of the following families in the BPL list:

  • Families with no adult members between the ages of 18 and 59.
  • Women-headed families.
  • Families whose head has a disability of 50 per cent or more.
  • Families that worked for at least 100 days under MNREGA in the previous financial year.
  • Families whose earning members are suffering from chronic diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, muscular dystrophy, thalassemia, or any other condition resulting in permanent disability.

The Cabinet also approved the establishment of a Special Task Force to combat drug abuse and dismantle drug trafficking and organized crime networks in the state through a comprehensive and multi-faceted approach.

Additionally, the Cabinet decided to promulgate an ordinance to amend Schedule 1A of the Indian Stamp Act of 1899. This amendment will facilitate the levy of a uniform stamp duty rate of 12 per cent on transfer and lease transactions secured under Section 118(2)(H) of the Himachal Pradesh Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, 1972, with prior approval from the State Government.

The Cabinet approved a ban on the felling of trees, except for Safeda, Poplar, Bamboo, and Khair (for sale), in accordance with a ten-year program.

The Cabinet reiterated its request to the Government of India to adopt a 90:10 funding formula for the power component of the Kishau Multipurpose Project, similar to the formula adopted for its water component. Alternatively, the Cabinet proposed providing a 50-year interest-free loan for the entire amount payable by the State Government for the power component under the Inter-State Agreement.

It approved the establishment of a 1 MW Green Hydrogen Project in Nalagarh, to be executed by HPPCL.

The Cabinet sanctioned the imposition of Green Energy Development Charges for Pumped Storage Projects. A charge of ₹2.5 lakh per MW per year will be levied for the first 10 years after the project’s commissioning, increasing to ₹5 lakh per MW per year thereafter.

Approval was given to introduce the Himachal Pradesh Sadbhawana Legacy Cases Resolution Scheme 2025 to resolve pending cases, litigations, and arrears under subsumed enactments such as VAT, CST, Entry Tax, etc.

The Cabinet decided to designate the area surrounding the Tara Devi Temple in Shimla district as a Green Area.

It approved the creation and filling of 10 Junior Office Assistant (IT) posts for the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission, Shimla.

The Cabinet selected the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, to conduct computer-based tests for the recruitment of Group-C posts through the Himachal Pradesh Rajya Chayan Aayog, Hamirpur.

Approval was granted for creating the Block Primary Education Office at Rohnat by bifurcating the existing Block Primary Education Office at Shilai in the Sirmaur district.

The Cabinet decided to transfer three-gram panchayats — Matyal, Kudal, and Dhadol — from Development Block Lambagaon to Development Block Baijnath in Kangra district to serve the residents of these areas better.

The Cabinet approved the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh Development Authority Land Pooling Policy-2025.

It also approved the establishment of the Himachal Pradesh State Water Informatics Centre to collect data from domain-specific bodies, develop new databases, and disseminate comprehensive water-related information.

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