Solan—In a shocking incident on Monday, an 18-year-old youth, Pravesh, survived a vicious leopard attack in Sarli village of Arki subdivision. The teenager reportedly fought the leopard for nearly 12 minutes before breaking its jaw, killing the animal on the spot.

Quick Thinking Saved His Life

Pravesh told the media that he was walking from the fields to a nearby shop in the morning to fetch milk when the leopard, hidden in the crops, lunged at him. Noticing the leopard’s tail, he attempted to run but fell after a short distance. During the attack, he covered his neck with his hands to protect himself from fatal bites.

The teenager continued to struggle with the leopard, repeatedly attempting to put distance between himself and the predator. In a desperate move, he grabbed the leopard by its mouth, twisted its jaw, and broke it, killing the animal instantly. Pravesh sustained multiple injuries, including deep claw marks, and is currently receiving treatment at Arki Hospital. Police and forest department teams have launched an investigation into the incident.

Serious Allegations of HP Forest Department’s Negligence

One of Pravesh’s relatives accused the forest department of negligence, noting that similar attacks had occurred in the area previously.

Earlier, a leopard had attempted to attack a scooter rider, who managed to escape. The family said they had informed the forest department on March 6 about potential danger, but no concrete action was taken. Villagers waited for three hours for a forest team to arrive, but none came. When the Block Officer eventually visited, he reportedly told villagers to ensure their own safety. Requests for cages to capture the leopard were also denied, with officials asking for written complaints instead.

SHIMLA | 7 August 2025 –The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light to moderate rainfall across Himachal Pradesh over the next two weeks, with isolated heavy to very heavy showers likely over the low hills, plains, and adjoining mid-hill regions. While the ongoing monsoon remains vital for agriculture, it also brings an elevated risk of localized flooding and landslides.

Week of August 8–14

Maximum temperatures will range from 22°C to 34°C, depending on elevation—22°C to 28°C in high hills, 26°C to 30°C in mid-hills, and up to 34°C in lower regions. Minimum temperatures are expected to remain near normal, between 12°C and 24°C. Cooler conditions may persist in districts like Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti.

Week of August 15–21

Similar rainfall patterns are expected to continue, with scattered heavy rain episodes. Temperature trends will remain stable, though slightly below-normal maximum temperatures are likely in parts of Lahaul-Spiti, Mandi, Kangra, and Kullu districts.

Outlook for Late August

Rainfall is expected to remain broadly normal, with region-specific variations. Districts such as Kinnaur, Shimla, and Sirmaur may see below-normal precipitation, while Una, Kangra, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, and Solan are likely to receive above-average rainfall. Both maximum and minimum temperatures are forecast to stay close to seasonal norms.

Officials at the Meteorological Centre in Shimla have urged residents and local authorities to remain alert for sudden heavy downpours, which could disrupt road connectivity and trigger landslides—especially along vulnerable hillside routes. Past monsoon episodes have blocked key highways, including routes between Mandi and Kullu and near Banjar, underscoring the ongoing challenges in the region.

This advisory comes as Himachal Pradesh continues to face the dual pressures of sustaining its agriculture-dependent economy while managing the life and infrastructure risks posed by an active monsoon. Continued vigilance and preparedness remain crucial.

SHIMLA |  6 August 2025 –In a significant judgment impacting thousands across Himachal Pradesh, the Himachal Pradesh High Court on Monday expressed serious reservations about the constitutional validity of Section 163-A of the Himachal Pradesh Land Revenue Act, which allows for the regularisation of encroachments on government land.

The division bench comprising Hon’ble Justice Vivek Singh Thakur and Hon’ble Justice Bipin Chander Negi, while hearing CWP No. 1028 of 2002 (Punam Gupta & another vs. State of HP & others), reserved its judgment on May 28, 2025, and delivered its verdict today, warning against the misuse of state policy for legalising land encroachments, especially those driven by design and not necessity.

Over 57,000 Encroachment Cases Across Himachal

According to the data submitted by the state government, 57,549 cases of encroachment have been recorded, covering over 10,320 hectares (approx. 1.24 lakh bighas) of government land. Additionally, 1.67 lakh applications had been received for regularisation under the impugned provision by August 2002, covering a further 24,198 hectares of land.

Court Differentiates Between “Involuntary” and “Deliberate” Encroachments

In drawing a clear legal distinction, the court invoked the Supreme Court’s 1985 ruling in Olga Tellis v. Bombay Municipal Corporation, which recognised involuntary encroachments driven by poverty and helplessness as not amounting to criminal trespass. However, the bench sternly ruled that deliberate, motivated, and reckless encroachments amount to criminal trespass under Section 441 of the IPC and cannot be compounded or regularised.

“Marginal or insignificant accidental violations… may be regularised, but this is a rare exception—not the rule,” the bench observed, referencing the apex court’s stance in Royal Paradise Hotel (P) Ltd. v. State of Haryana (2006) and M.C. Mehta v. Union of India (2006).

Legalising Illegality? Court Critiques State Policy

Tracing the policy history, the judgment noted that the practice of regularising encroachments dates back to government instructions issued in 1983 under the now-suspended H.P. Nautor Land Rules, 1968. Multiple revisions allowed for regularisation of land up to 20 bighas, in some cases upon payment of penalties up to five times the market value.

The most recent policy, introduced in 1994, permitted the regularisation of land contiguous to privately owned land. However, this was struck down in 1997 by the High Court in Raj Kumar Singla v. State of HP, as it was deemed an “executive overreach that sought to legalise illegality.”

Section 163-A: A Legislative Backdoor?

The court pointed out that Section 163-A was introduced following recommendations of a high-powered committee constituted after the 1997 judgment. The committee, rather than addressing the endemic problem of encroachments through enforcement, recommended legitimising them through legislation—a move the court viewed with scepticism.

The provision grants the state government discretionary powers to frame rules for regularizing encroachments, without adequate safeguards to distinguish between genuine hardship cases and willful land grabs.