As six policemen succumbed to Covid-19 and another 648 testing positive so far, national icons like Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Virat Kohli, Katrina Kaif, Dia Mirza, Akshay Kumar, others put up the Maharashtra Police logo as their profile picture to express solidarity with khaki-clad frontline warriors.
The massive response came after Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Sunday appealed for solidarity with Mumbai Police and changed his display picture on all social media accounts with Mumbai Police logo, urging the citizens to follow suit.
“Thank u to @AnilDeshmukhNCP @MumbaiPolice for relentless efforts in the face of this adversity. Very grateful to doctors, medical staff, health workers who are leading the fight against the virus on the frontlines,” tweeted Shah Rukh.
Apart from Bollywood, a flood of leaders and celebs followed suit including Nationalist Congress Party's Water Resources Minister Jayant Patil, NCP MP Supriya Sule, and other leaders from the Maha Vikas Aghadi. There were industrialists like Anand Mahindra, cricketers Virat Kohli and Dhawal Kulkarni and filmmakers like Karan Johar and Sajid Nadiadwala.
Deshmukh offered his condolences on today's demise of Assistant Sub-Inspector Dattatraya Kalgutkar of Vinoba Bhave Nagar Police Station who succumbed to Covid-19.
"It is exemplary that the entire 2.25 lakh-strong police force is working for long hours through what is one of the biggest public health challenges we are facing. To those who say this will affect the morale of the police, I want to affirm that in difficult times, the efficiency of police has in fact doubled," said Deshmukh.
However, he said it was essential to underline to the police that they are "not alone" in this war against the virus, and "the citizens feel as strongly about it as me", and accordingly changed his social media DP.
(With inputs from IANS)