Security forces deployed for anti-Naxal operations will soon be assisted by a specialised breed of imported Belgian shepherd dogs in “infantry patrols” and also to provide pre-ambush warning to the troops.
Almost seven such “Malinois” breed dogs have been trained by the premier police dog training centre of the paramilitary Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) at their academy near Chandigarh for about 22 weeks.
This is the first time that the police and Central security forces will be using canines in operations in the Naxal hotbeds of the country, a practice in line with the Israeli defence forces.
The dogs will now be deployed for anti-Naxal duties in states of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand where forces like CRPF, BSF and ITBP have had more than 300 casualties in the last year in Maoist attacks, a senior officer at the headquarters of the joint forces here said.
The dogs will undertake “infantry patrols” along with troops and will be deployed for special operations and along those difficult tracks where the possibility of hidden IEDs is huge.
“A police dog is an essential component of any security force squad. This part was missing in the Naxal theatre. As these dogs are best suited for this terrain, they are now being deployed to assist the forces. They can avert major casualties and ambushes by giving early signals to their masters,” the officer said.
These high-breed dogs have been used with success by Nato troops.