Patna: A police dog was laid to rest with full honours after it died to save the lives of scores of elite CoBRA battalion personnel of Central Reserves Police Force engaged in operations with dreaded Maoist guerrillas in Jharkhand.
The sniffer dog — named Animika — leading the security forces blown to pieces atop the Buddha Hill forest on Tuesday after she stumbled upon an improvised explosive device (IED) planted under the ground during an intensive operation to search for a dreaded Maoist leader Arvindji carrying reward of Rs10 million on his head.
Reports said the cops accompanying the sniffer dog escaped with only minor injuries as Animika detected the IED just at the nick of time. “But for her, we would have suffered major losses but she saved us with her own life. We are proud of her supreme sacrifice,” dog handler PK Samal told the media Thursday.
Witnesses said the grateful forces held a Rest in Peace (RIP) ceremony, placed wreaths on her body packed in coffin and then gave her salute to pay last respect to the dog after her body was brought to the battalion headquarters in Latehar town on Wednesday. “We will ever be indebted to her supreme sacrifice,” remarked Pankanj Kumar, commandant of the 11 CRPF battalion engaged operation against the rebels in the tough terrains of the Jharkhand state.
Acting on information that the dreaded fugitive Maoist was taking shelter in the woods on the Jharkhand-Chhatisgarh border and carrying out the recruitment drive, the security forces had reached there with the sniffer dog. Reports said the forces were moving closer to the rebel leader when the sniffer dog suddenly moved in a direction and began digging at a place when the landmine planted underneath blew up, killing her on the spot as the forces accompanying her fled for safety.
“The dog detected the explosive just in the nick of time which saved lives of many security personnel,” the local district superintendent of police Dhananjay Singh said. Reports said each battalion fighting the Maoists has some 6-8 sniffer dogs, mostly Belgian Shepherds. At least 11 out of Jharkhand’s total 24 districts are currently said to be impacted with Maoist activities.
