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A Village Burnt Overnight: Tears, Loss and Survival in Dhamangaon Blaze

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  Sitting amid the blackened remains of his home, 32-year-old Nikesh Gawali carefully broke open a half-melted plastic box with a screwdriver. His hands shook slightly, not out of fear, but out of hope. “I’m trying to find my daughter Aarti’s gold earrings,” he said quietly, still focused on the box. “She’s just five. I got them made recently after months of labour work.” The plastic box, warped and blackened by heat, was one of the few things left from his two-room house on the outskirts of Dhamangaon village . All around him lay ash, broken tin sheets and charred wooden beams. The walls had cracked under the heat and the front room’s tin roof had caved in completely. What remained was a blackened debris all around - almost nothing to suggest a home once stood there. Nikesh earns his living as an agricultural labourer, like many in the village. Work is uncertain and depends on the season. Those earrings weren’t just jewellery - they were a small dream, a reward for his hard work,...
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President’s Police Medal announced for Dr Arti Singh

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By Dheeraj Fartode
The Union Government has also announced the President’s Police Medal for Meritorious Service to Dr Arti Singh, an IPS officer of the 2006 batch. Singh has held several key positions in Nagpur, including Superintendent of Police (SP) for Nagpur Rural, SP CID Nagpur, and Vidarbha region and is currently posted as Special IGP (Admin) for the State Police.

Singh’s first posting was as ASP in Bhamragad, Gadchiroli, in 2008, after which she became ASP in Gadchiroli. She later served as SP in Bhandara, Nagpur Rural, CID Nagpur, Aurangabad, Nashik Rural, CP in Amravati City, and Additional CP in Mumbai City. Known for her hands-on approach and working closely with ground-level staff, Dr. Singh has made major contributions to the State police.

She has received several prestigious awards, including the DG Insignia in 2011 and the Vishesh Seva Padak for her work in Naxal-affected areas. She was also honored with the Maharashtra Home Minister's Award as a ‘Corona Yoddha’ and the National Commission for Women’s Award as a ‘Covid Women Warrior’.

In the Badlapur incident, Singh was appointed by then Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for an inquiry. Singh expressed her gratitude for the award, saying it will motivate her to continue her work for the betterment of society.

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