Shaurya Karanbir Gurung
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, November 26
Busting a terrorist hideout often causes casualties, but the security forces are minimising this loss with the help of canines who stealthily enter a hideout, sniff out Improvised Explosive Devices, grab weapons and quickly exit before the raid.
The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), a paramilitary force, which are using these canines in counter-terrorism operations, call them “Smart Mopping Up Dogs” (SMUD) or Commandogs. These Malinois dogs have been trained to detect explosives, take part in infantry patrols and carry out attack pin and hold.
“Terrorists rig up a place with booby traps and IEDs. In the absence of SMUD, soldiers raid the hideout thinking it to be safe, but the first few who enter are killed. These events have happened several times with counter-insurgency forces in India,” a source said.
When commandogs are used, first the hideout is fired upon by rocket launchers and gunfire. An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle gives an aerial view of the hideout. While being given adequate protection, a commandog enters an unoccupied room in the hideout and sanitises the area by sniffing out the explosives. A camera mounted on the dog allows the command post to view explosives.