Through the Jawaharlal Darda Foundation, Lokmat Media Group has taken an initiative to provide substantial support for higher education to the children of martyred cops in Gadchiroli district. In a programme held at Gadchiroli police headquarters, financial assistance of Rs 50,000 each was given to the first batch of 20 children at the hands of Vijay Darda, Chairman of editorial board of Lokmat Media and former member of Rajya Sabha. Sandeep Patil, Deputy Inspector General, Gadchiroli Range; Neelotpal, Superintendent of Police, Gadchiroli district; Anuj Tare, Additional SP (Operation); and Kumar Chinta, Additional SP (Administration); Ashok Jain, Director (Operations) of Lokmat Media; Vikas Mishra, Editor of ‘Lokmat Samachar’; Shrimant Mane, Executive Editor of ‘Lokmat’; Santosh Chipda, Senior General Manager (Circulation), and family members of martyred policemen were present. Vijay Darda asserted that efforts would be made to solve the problems of martyred cops’ families. He added that Jawaharlal Darda alias Babuji, veteran freedom fighter and founder Editor of Lokmat Media Group, had passed on the legacy of social commitment.

 

The Group would continue to support education of the martyred cops’ children. Experts’ panel will decide nature of further assistance and the Deputy Inspector General, Gadchiroli Range; and SP of Gadchiroli district will co-ordinate this initiative, said Darda. Sandeep Patil said that Naxalism was defeated only because of sacrifice of 212 martyred cops of Gadchiroli district and sacrifice of their families. Hemlata Waghade, wife of a martyred cop, spoke on behalf of the families of martyrs. An exhibition-cum-sale of paintings made by Vijay Darda was organised at Mumbai. A fund of Rs 10 lakh was raised from the sale of these paintings, and given to the children of 20 martyred cops from Gadchiroli district.