ITBP to train sniffer dogs for Ardh Kumbh at Panchkula

Tribune News Service

Haridwar, October 7

To ensure foolproof security during the Ardh Kumbh fair, the mela police have deputed a special dog squad to check untoward incidents in sensitive areas.

The dog squad comprising five labrador and German shepherd dogs, and nine support staff well versed in narcotics-explosive detection was today sent to the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Panchkula, for specialised training.

The squad has two explosive detecting dogs, Buddy and Calra, as well as Cherry and Cetty, specialized in tracking criminals, and Bella, a narcotics sniffer dog.

DIG, Ardh Kumbh police, Ganesh Singh Martolia, said the training was part of making every wing of the mela force well trained and ready.

“The squad is a specialised unit, which is vital in providing security cover during the four month long fair. The ITBP centre is one of its kind in the country, where this squad will get training in combating terror attack, detecting explosives, tracking and sniffing at sensitive points like core mela zone, railway station and bus stand,” said DIG Ganesh.

After completion of the fair in April 2015, the squad will be deployed at crime prone districts of the state and when required, other district police can ask for their services.

The support staff in the squad are constables Rakesh Kumar, Dinesh Lal, Sarvesh Kumar, Navin Kumar, Sunit Kumar, Yogendra Raghav, Manish Dobhal and two women constables Geeta and Saroj Bala. They said they had five well trained dogs and the further training at the ITBP centre would make the squad more lethal.