Thiruvananthapuram: Belgian Malinois, the canine breed that chased down Islamic State chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi along with the US troops during a military operation in Syria last month, is all set to join the Kerala Police.
The state police dog squad would buy 15 dogs, including five puppies of this breed. These are highly capable of sniffing out explosives, drugs, and bombs. Belgian Malinois would also be helpful in tracking down Maoists.
Belgian Malinois hit the headlines after the military dog, Conan, was praised even by US President Donald Trump for its services during the crucial mission in Syria. Both the popularity of the canine breed and its price have since skyrocketed.
Pricey canines
A 45-day-old Belgian Malinois puppy would cost around Rs 90,000.
“Five Belgian Malinois, five Labradors, and five Beagles are being brought,” ADGP Tomin Thachankary told Manorama. The price ranges from Rs 30,000 to Rs 90,000.
The team led by ADGP Thachankary decided to procure the canine breed after they were convinced of its intelligence and fierce nature.
The dogs are being procured from the Punjab Kennel Institute. Apart from these, six canines would also be bought from Ooty.
A committee headed by the DGP would give the nod for the final price. Last year, the force had bought 9 Labradors from the Punjab Kennel Institute.
Fierce
The highly fierce Belgian Malinois can tear apart the opponent. And most often the security forces first release these canines into strife-torn regions. Premier agencies such as the Special Protection Group, National Investigation Agency, and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) also make use of the services of these canines.
1 year of training, 2 years of work experience
Puppies would be first given training at the Punjab or Thrissur Police academy for a year. Then two years of work experience and in the third year, these are inducted into the dog squad.
The force currently has 129 canines. Other dogs are mostly used in the tracker category.
