Mongrels turn sniffer dogs in Chhattisgarh

NEW DELHI: Desi dogs may finally get to break the 'pedigree ceiling', which is a hallmark of the elite sniffer-dog squads in our security forces.

With Chhattisgarh's experiment of training mongrels in assisting security forces turning out to be a success, street dogs may soon be in high demand.

Putting their dog days behind, the desi canines could soon threaten the pole position, hitherto occupied by their pedigreed cousins — Alsatians, Dobermans and Labradors — favoured by the security forces in tracking and helping to combat terror and insurgency.

Earlier, Chhattisgarh paraded its first batch of five mongrels alongside its pedigreed police dogs at the state's Republic Day march this year.

The gang of five, including Sally and Lily, had successfully graduated from the Jungle Warfare College at Kaker, set up to combat the Naxalite insurgency in the region.

Chhattisgarh DGP Vishwa Ranjan came up with the idea of training mongrels to supplement the dog squad in the state's police force, less than a year ago, when he took charge in Raipur.

"People laughed at the idea but I was confident. I told them about my own mongrel, Roxy, who I had trained in 1977 and who turned into a good police dog," Ranjan told TOI over phone.

With the rise in terror and insurgent activities across the country, the demand for trained pedigreed dogs has gone up. They come for a price and are available only at the BSF training academy in Tekanpur, the DGP said.

"Since we need a lot of dogs to tackle the Naxalite problem, we have started this experiment and it is working," he adds. Since the mongrels' traits are not known, they have to be observed for some time to see whether they have the instincts for tracking or sniffing, after they are picked up as puppies from the streets, the state police chief said.

"We get healthy puppies picked up and keep them under watch as they grow. On an average, if 10 pups are picked up, around three or four qualify to be sent for training," Ranjan, a dog lover, said, adding that the weaker pups were usually found to be inept at policing.

But the advantage of mongrels, apart from the fact that they save the state considerable money, is that they are hardier than the pedigreed dogs and are sharp in their instincts, Ranjan exults.

Considering the ringing endorsement, it may not be a surprise if other states too come up with job offers for Chhattisgarh's trained mongrels soon.