Maharashtra food safety officer who is a social media star
Tukaram Mundhe, the food commissioner of Maharashtra, India, has gained social media fame for his aggressive crackdown on food safety violations. His viral inspections of restaurants and businesses have made him a rare celebrity civil servant.
Why it matters
The story highlights the intersection of digital media, public health enforcement, and the changing public perception of civil servants in India.
Share Save Add as preferred on Google Archana Shukla & Neyaz Farooquee BBC News, Mumbai BBC Since taking charge as Maharashtra's food commissioner in May, Mundhe has overseen thousands of inspections of cafes and restaurants The images are hard to ignore.
Cockroaches scurry across kitchen floors. Spider webs cling to walls. Spoiled vegetables rot in corners, while food counters show signs of pest infestation.
One might assume these scenes belong to a struggling restaurant. But the photos are from a members-only club in Mumbai - India's financial capital and the capital of its richest state Maharashtra.
They are among dozens of photos and videos that have gone viral since May, after Maharashtra's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began a series of inspections at restaurants, cafes and other food businesses across the state.
At the centre of the crackdown is 51-year-old civil servant Tukaram Mundhe, the state's new food commissioner.
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