Jashpur: Amid the nationwide lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, a police officer in Jashpur district of Chhattisgarh has come to the aid of families of six policemen killed in Naxal violence.
Kunkuri police station house officer (SHO) Vishal Kujur has from his own income provided essential food items and medicines for a month to the families of six martyred police personnel.
Kunkuri is one of the backward areas in the tribal dominated zone of Jashpur.
“I have seen my colleagues falling in the line of duty and hardships faced by their families following their demise.
When I came to know about such families in the jurisdiction of my police station, I decided to help them,” Kujur said.
During the ongoing lockdown, these families were finding it tough to arrange for groceries and other essential items as they have already lost their breadwinner, he said.
“It is our duty to help the families whose sons have sacrificed their lives while serving the motherland. I met them and arranged one-month ration and medicines for them,” the officer said.
People should come forward to help such families in this hour of crisis, said Kujur, who has a long stint of working in Naxal-affected areas of the state.
Among these six families are the kin of Special Task Force (STF) constable Amarjeet Khalko, who was among the 17 policemen killed in an encounter with Naxals on March 21 this year in Sukma district.
“During my visit to Khalko’s house, I came to know that his mother could not receive the ex-gratia given to the kin of martyrs by the state government as she was not having a bank account. I contacted the bank authority in the area and got her account opened,” Kujur said.
The police officer said he will continue to help such families during the ongoing lockdown.
Jashpur Collector Nilesh Kumar Kshirsagar appreciated Kujur, saying such noble gestures should be highlighted among people.