20 dogs have their day at Red Fort

Three-year-old Maru had a tiring day at the Red Fort today but that did not stop him from dutifully springing up when the National Anthem played.

The fawn-coloured Labrador was on its four feet -- or paws -- the moment his trainer stood at attention as the anthem played to mark the 70th anniversary of India's independence. He kept an eye on his trainer, relaxing only when the policeman by his side did so.

Maru was among the 20-odd dogs put into service by the Delhi Police to ensure security at the 17-century iconic monument, from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation.

"He has been here at the Red Fort since 1 AM, so has got tired," said Maru's trainer, who accompanied him to the Mughal-era fort.

During the course of the celebrations, which began at around 7:30 AM, Maru and two other Labradors were seen slouching below the chairs kept on the front lawns in the audience section, clearly tired after hours of hard work, sniffing around for danger.

Maru's canine colleague, Mahan, also three in dog years, was at one point seen frolicking with his trainer.

"They are fed vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. They eat fruits, vegetable and rice in the morning and meat in the evening. Diet is very important to keep them fit," the trainer told

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)