The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Competition of tracker dogs held

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Friday, Nov 24, 2006
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Competition of tracker dogs held

Staff Reporter

Services of these dogs are used to check trains, waiting halls and luggage rooms

SERVICE VITAL: Dogs display their skills at the inauguration of Inter Railway R.P.F. dogs competition on Railway Institute Grounds on Wednesday. — Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

BANGALORE: It was a competition with a difference for these dogs and not all dogs were eligible to participate. These dogs had to show they were capable of averting any tragedy that result in loss of life and property.

If they are successful in exhibiting their skills effectively, they can participate in a national-level competition. In all, 19 dogs were in the fray trying to outwit each other.

The competition was the Inter-Railway Railway Protection Force (RPF) Dog Competition that began here on Wednesday. Mahesh Mangal, Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of South Western Railway (SWR), Bangalore, declared the meet open.

Mr. Mangal said the services of these dogs were utilised to check trains, platforms, waiting halls and luggage rooms. Whenever there was a terrorist threat, the dogs were helpful in averting any tragedy, he said. Dogs from nine railway zones — Northern (Delhi), North Western (Jaipur), Central and Western (Mumbai), South Central (Secunderabad), East Coast (Bhubaneswar), West Central (Hajipur), Southern (Chennai) and South Western (Hubli) are participating in the competition.

The competition is being held at the dog kennel near Bangalore Cantonment on Wednesday and Thursday. Best four teams will represent the RPF in the All India Police Duty Meet to be held in Chennai in December this year. Police Duty Meet is held every year in which competitions such as football, hockey, skills in investigation and dog competition are conducted for State and Central police organisations. The closing ceremony of the dog competition will be held on Friday at 4 p.m. at the Railway Institute Grounds, M.G. Colony, behind City Railway Station.

Inspector-General of Police (Railways) K.A. Hhafeez, Senior Divisional Security Commissioner of Bangalore B.B. Mishra, Additional Divisional Railway Manager Gauri Saxena and senior officials of Bangalore Railway Division were present.

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