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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 for IGP Sanjay Darade

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IGP Sanjay Darade


By Dheeraj Fartode

The Union Government has awarded the President’s Police Medal for Meritorious Service to Sanjay Bhaskar Darade, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the 2005 batch. Darade is recognized for his work especially in Nagpur City and Vidarbha region.

Darade has served as Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) in Nagpur and as Superintendent of Police (SP) in the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). He is known for handling sensitive cases, particularly in corruption investigations and for leading successful operations against corruption. His work in Nagpur earned him praise at both local and state levels.

He has also served in various other important roles, including as SP in Dharashiv, Yavatmal, and Nashik Rural. He played key role in managing large events during elections and public gatherings. Notable achievements include his role in the 2014 Legislative Assembly elections in Yavatmal and a major arms seizure in Nashik Rural including 44 rifles, revolvers, and over 4,000 live cartridges.

Darade also received recognition for his work during the 2015 Nashik Kumbh Mela and the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Konkan. Upon receiving the award, Darade expressed that the Medal was a great honour for me and my family. It gives me the strength to continue working harder for the betterment of society and the common people.

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