Fatshamed cop undergoes bariatric surgery in Mumbai

Dr Lakdawala and his team said that Jogawat, who weighs 180kg, is doing well now

MUMBAI: Madhya Pradesh police inspector Daulataram Jogawat, who was fat-shamed by writer Shobhaa Dé last week, successfully underwent a bariatric surgery in Mumbai on Thursday.

“The surgery is over and he is doing well,” said a member from Dr Lakdawala’s team, which conducted the surgery.

Jogawat is diabetic and weighs 180kg, said doctors who had evaluated his condition on February 26.

Earlier last week, Shobha De had tweeted a picture of Jogawat, with a caption — ‘heavy police Bandobast’ — during the civic elections.

Soon after, Dr Muffazal Lakhdawala, bariatric surgeon from Saifee Hospital, and his team evaluated Jogawat’s condition.

Neemuch SP Manoj Kumar Singh said that though Jogawat is obese, he was dedicated towards his duty and his investigations had often won him praise from the court. “He also performed credibly during the rigorous Simhasta in Ujjain for a month,” the SP added.

Meanwhile, Jogawat’s colleague told HT that he had faced such taunts because of his weight before. “He is good at his work. Making fun of people who are obese is not nice,” he said.

Doctors said the surgery will not cut all of Jogawat’s flab. The inspector is expected to lose at least 80kg over the next 18 months without having to maintain a special diet.

Since his recruitment as a constable in January 1979, Jogawat has served in western Madhya Pradesh with invisible diligence.

He has gathered almost two hundred rewards on his journey and picked up four promotions on the way.

He has helmed police stations when he was only an assistant sub-inspector and his last annual confidential report grades him ‘A’. He looked after pilgrims in the scorching summer heat during the Simhastha Kumbh 2016, a religious congregation of more than 20 million in the holy city of Ujjain.

His rewards include those for anti-narcotics operations and preventing crimes against women.