Meet the "Medicine Man" of Pune police

( In an extraordinary humanitarian gesture API Satish Umare and his colleagues deliver life-saving drugs to two special kids in Solapur)

In an extraordinary humanitarian gesture during the lockdown period, which has crippled supplies of goods and services across the country, an officer from the Pune police rose to the occasion to deliver life saving medicines to two special children of a Solapur resident.

Assistant Police Inspector (API) Satish Umare, his seniors and colleagues at the Sinhagad police station and an officer from the Hadapsar police station are receiving laurels not only from the Pune police but citizens from across the state for the public service during the pandemic for the swift delivery of the life-saving drugs miles away from Pune city.

It all happened when Solapur resident Abhaya Chawre messaged Senior Inspector Nandkumar Shelke of the Sinhagad police station on the latter's whatsapp number, seeking help for the delivery of a packet of medicines which he had sought from a doctor at Sinhagad Road for his ailing sons. The children are suffering from a congenital disease. Though the doctor had couriered the drugs, it had been stuck at the courier company's outlet as no inter-city travel is permitted owing to the lockdown.

Shelke in turn deputed API Umare for tracking down the consignment and sending it to the needy family. "I started hunting for the address of the doctor and finally traced it to famous Ayurvedic doctor Dr. Sameer Jamadagni," Umare told Mirror Online on Wednesday.

Umare was then told by the doctor that though the consignment of medicines had been couriered, it had been stuck at the firm's office owing to the lockdown. Umare then got the office opened with the help of the firm's employees. The one-kilogram packet containing the drug was found. However, sending it to the destination was another task.

Umare then got in touch with his batchmate and fellow officer at the Hadapsar police station, API Manoj Patil. "I had earlier served at the Hadapsar police station and knew that it was a starting point for buses travelling to Solapur," he added.

He spoke briefly to API Patil and sent the packet by Police Naik Pol of his own police station.

API Patil then made the necessary arrangements for the transport of the courier to Solapur and it reached Chawre's residence on time.

As a recognition of the public service by the officer/s, the Pune police on Wednesday took to their official instagram handle in lauding Umare and the entire team by projecting him as the 'Medicine Man.'

Showering praise on Umare, Pune police commissioner Dr. K Venkatesham told Mirror Online, "These men and officers from my force are an inspiration to everyone. They are going beyond the call of their duty in serving humanity at this hour of crisis and need. I think such motivation comes from their upbringing and the deep cultural value of Maharashtra," he said.