The Hindu : Dog squad joining STF

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Apr 01, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Dog squad joining STF

By V.S. Palaniappan

Coimbatore March 31. For the first time, the Tamil Nadu Special Task Force will induct a dog squad in the Veerappan search operations.

Contacted by The Hindu, the Additional Director-General, R. Nataraj, said that to begin with two Doberman puppies, completing their basic training in obedience and discipline at the Chennai City Police training unit, would in a day or two join the STF in the hunt for the forest brigand. Initially, they would accompany the STF teams in their combing operations.

It would take some time before they familiarised themselves with the terrain and operational condition. Of six pups sanctioned for the STF, four would join the operations later, in a phased manner.

The Doberman pups were chosen as they were agile and could pick up scent and pursue clues vigorously. The German Shepherds (Alsatian) with lots of hair all over the body were consciously avoided for, they ran the risk of ``tick'' and ``leech'' infestation. But, in the case of the Doberman, ticks and leeches on the body can be easily noticed and removed then and there.

The puppies would join the force along with the handlers, who were also sent for training.

Hitherto, the STFs of both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka were managing the operations with a tracker and sniffer dogs from the neighbouring districts and city police.

The BSF also brought its dog squad for the operations.

Weaning tribals away

Meanwhile, the STF is covering 300 tribal villages, where joint meetings are held to wean away Sholakars, Lambadis and Lingayaths from the influence of the brigand and his gang, sources said.

The intelligence machinery was being fine-tuned and posters with photographs of the Rs. 5.5-crore cash reward were being published to draw the attention of an 1.25-lakh population in all the villages.

Investigations revealed that during the last one year, the brigand had maintained the barest minimum contact with the outside world.

Hence the focus was on weaning away the tribals.

Watering holes and waterbodies in jungles were kept under surveillance.

With limited needs, the brigand had been able evade the STF dragnet, the sources said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States