Among this year’s Police Medal winners is a cop with a magic wand

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At his ‘uneventful office’ of the notification department, Dagadkhair’s magic keeps the office alive. “Whenever he learns a new trick, he will come and perform before us. It feels like guinea pigs but we never complain,” says an excited colleague. “He takes away the stress,” another adds. For this 53-year-old police inspector, however, tricks are not the only things he excels in. Dagadkhair is one of the 201 police officer from the state who has won the Police Medal for Meritorious Service this year. While the medal will decorate his uniform in August, the announcement was made on Monday.

“The then NSG DG, Jyoti Krishna Dutt, had reached the Nariman House. Operation Black Tornado had just commenced and the NSG wanted somebody who could help them with the typography of the area. I was there and appraised them of the situation prevailing at Nariman House, one of the locations attacked by the terrorists (on 26/11). They took me on an IAF chopper and later on their helicopter MI 17. I gave them the detailed topography and also assisted them in the rescue operations,” recalls Dagadkhair. A certificate of appreciation given by the NSG enlisting his contribution adorns the first page of his thick blue folder where he has neatly affixed all his certificates and photographs.

However his passion for magic was an outcome of a desperate quest to look for an hobby that will help him divert attention from his “asthma problem”. “An asthmatic person requires to develop a hobby as it acts as a diversion. I read this somewhere and decided to look for one. I started readings books by leading magicians like Sunil Kamat and found books on magic very fascinating and interesting. I even did a hypnosis course with famous anti-superstition crusader Shyam Manav. The course helped me focus and perfect my magic,” he adds.

Son of a farmer from the drought prone district of Ahmednagar, Dagadkhair appeared for the exam for the post of a constable and joined the Mumbai Police in 1982. His wife and three children were initially skeptical of his hobby. “Many people call me ‘Jadugar police’ lovingly. My family initially felt that people wont take me seriously despite being a police officer. However, they encouraged me. I used to perform for hours before a mirror and my children used to watch me with amusement. When I perfected a trick, they used to be the first one to cheer aloud,” says Dagadkhair. He is all praise for his seniors too. “My bosses have always encouraged me. In 2004, I got an insignia from the then DGP T K Choudhary for helping improve the image of police in public. I still wear the batch on my chest,” he adds, pointing to the batch on his uniform.

While Dagadkhair might have not been able to perform before a private audience as his police service does not allow to conduct private shows, he has managed to entertain many heads of states, including former US President Bill Clinton, and several chief ministers of the state. “When Clinton was visiting India, I first performed magical tricks before his security adviser. Once he was satisfied. I got to perform before Clinton. It was an unforgettable moment of my life,” he recalls. However, it was the meal with late President Abdul Kalam that is one of his cherished memories. “When Kalam was visiting Mumbai, I first performed before the officer in charge of his security. Once they were convinced, they put a word before the President who allowed me to perform. Kalam was so impressed he even called me over lunch. That has been my best meal,” says Dagadkhair.

Dwelling more on his passion, he explains that it is the ‘close-up tricks’ that are the most difficult. “When magicians perform at shows, they have audience, light and various props to trick his audience. However, when one performs a close-up magic, the audience is watching you carefully and therefore you have to trick them in such a way that they don’t catch you. This requires months of practice and a lot of acumen and patience,” he asserts. While Police Medal makes Dagadkhair a proud man, he is hopeful that April brings the same luck. “Merlin awards will be declared in April. The Merlin Award to magic is what Oscar is to movies. I hope I get that too,” he wishes.