Kullu – A Patwari and a Kanungo were brutally attacked during a land demarcation exercise in Raugi Panchayat of the Kais area in Kullu district, raising serious concerns over the safety of government officials on duty. The incident occurred when a revenue team reached the spot to measure land following complaints of illegal encroachment.
Patwari Bhup Singh, who was injured in the attack, said the department had received a complaint in August 2025 alleging that a BDC chairman had illegally encroached upon land in the area. Acting on the complaint, a team visited the site on Friday to carry out demarcation. The team included two police personnel, officials from the Public Works Department, the head of Raugi Panchayat, and other local representatives.
According to Bhup Singh, the BDC chairman reached the spot during the demarcation and suddenly attacked the Kanungo. The Kanungo’s spectacles fell during the assault. When Bhup Singh bent down to pick them up, he was also attacked with a stick. He said a police officer tried to intervene, but the accused and his relatives continued the assault. The officials somehow managed to flee the spot and narrowly escaped with their lives, though some important documents were lost in the chaos.
Following the incident, Leader of the Opposition Jairam Thakur visited Kullu Regional Hospital to meet the injured Patwari and Kanungo. He enquired about their health and assured them of all possible support to ensure justice. Speaking to the media, Jairam Thakur described the attack as highly condemnable and shameful, calling it a direct assault on the law and order situation in Himachal Pradesh.
He said that the brutality inflicted on revenue officials who were performing their duty on the administration’s orders reflects the most cruel and shameless face of power. He alleged that such hooliganism by people enjoying political protection has never been witnessed in the state before. Jairam Thakur claimed that a Congress leader, emboldened by the protection of those in power, first threatened officials and later chased and brutally assaulted the Patwari and Kanungo, turning the incident into a life-threatening attack.
The Leader of the Opposition said that some leaders have become so intoxicated with power that they have forgotten the culture, traditions, and laws of Himachal Pradesh. He demanded immediate registration of a case and strict action under the harshest sections of the law so that such incidents set an example for all mafia elements allegedly enjoying political patronage.
Jairam Thakur advised the Chief Minister to take serious note of the matter and ensure impartial and stringent action. He claimed that incidents across Una, Bilaspur, Nalagarh, Chamba, and Shimla point towards growing mafia influence in the state, and alleged that in many such cases, the role or patronage of Congress leaders has surfaced. He said the government must restore the rule of law so that common people and government employees can feel safe while performing their duties.
