Jammu, Aug 6 (IANS): Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Shesh Paul Vaid on Monday appealed to celebrities to lend their support in raising funds for the families of Special Police Officers (SPOs) who have lost their lives fighting militancy.

Paul tweeted: "My humble appeal to social influencers to lend your helping hand for providing support to raise funds for the @JmuKmrPolice SPOs who lost their lives in line of duty."

He mentioned cricketers Saching Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag, and Bollywood actors Akshay Kumar and Anupam Kher to support the fund raising schemes initiated to help 499 slain special officers' families.

He also appealed to the rest of the country to come forward and help rehabilitate these families. "Let us stand up for those who gave their lives for our safety."

Around 32,000 SPOs have been engaged by the Jammu and Kashmir Police for anti-militancy operations in the state in the last six years. They are neither issued weapons nor trained to handle them.