After a Decade Of Service, Mumbai Airport Says Goodbye To Its Canine Cops
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) deployed at the Mumbai airport is bidding farewell this month to four highly-trained members who have rarely taken off days in their 10 years at the Bomb Disposal and Detection Solution Squad (BDDS).
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) deployed at the Mumbai airport is bidding farewell this month to four highly-trained members who have rarely taken off days in their 10 years at the Bomb Disposal and Detection Solution Squad (BDDS). The retirees ¨C Gold, Deena, Tyson and Lenovo, all Labradors ¨C are part of the 12-member dog squad which are trained to detect explosives in baggage at the highsecurity airport.
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¡°Some of them are very fit and active and can continue in service. But since government norms mandate that they retire when they turn 10, we have to let them go,¡± said a CISF official.
While Gold, a male Labrador retired on February 17, Deena, a female Labrador is retiring today. Tyson and Lenovo, both male Labradors will retire on March 1 and 2 respectively. CISF will induct four more dogs soon to maintain the strength of the dog squad.
BCCL/representational image
The 12-member dog squad has four females and includes Labradors, German Shepherds and Cocker Spaniels, all brought in as sevenmonth-old pups. After induction, the dogs were assigned individual handlers, who raised the pups, trained them and have been accompanying them on duty since they turned one-and-a-half-years-old.
¡°Their work was a regular and continuous process. All the four are hard working Labradors and have been closely involved in keeping the airport secured,¡± a CISF officer said.
While the dogs are on-call at any time, they are called for duty at least three days a week, mostly when unclaimed bags are reported. According to officers, these usually turn out to be common things like clothes or household utensils, and sometimes even reveal strange baggage, like stones.
Post-retirement
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Meanwhile, CISF officials are preparing the ground work for a post-retirement home for the canines. A meeting for the same was held with animal activist Fizza Shah, whose Virar farm house is now home to many veterans, including 26/11 sniffer dogs Sultan, Tiger and Caesar.
Officials said that 27 of 76 airports do not have the CISF¡¯s dedicated and trained dog squads for airports.
These airports are being manned by CRPF, Indian Reserve Battalion or state police units, who have their own canine units.
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¡°We are on our toes each time an alert is raised in and around the airport. There can be various reasons for these bags being found but we are on high alert all the time and monitor each and every minute movement in the area. These canines are an integral part of airport security,¡± a CISF spokesperson said.
The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has recommended that India put up an effective safety mechanism in the wake of terror attacks and suicide bombings at major international airports. ICAO officials are visiting India in March 2017 to ascertain India¡¯s safety preparedness at airports.
