Refresher course for RPF dogs, their handlers

Lack of coordination between the two hampering operations.

At a time when security at various crowded places has been beefed up following the twin blasts in Hyderabad, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) at Pune railway station is feeling a bit paralysed.

Reason: complete lack of coordination between the RPF-trained dogs and their handlers.

The RPF officials have now decided to send the dogs and their handlers for a refresher course.

At present, the RPF unit of Pune division has four dogs of which two of them and their handlers will be attending the course in the first batch. Lack of coordination was witnessed when the dogs and their handlers were attending a bomb hoax call at Shivajinagar railway station recently.

Assistant security commissioner Vinod Kumar of Pune division said, “Recently, when we were attending a hoax call at Shivajinagar railway station, a bomb squad was called. However, we found out that there was no coordination between the dog and his handler. Eventually, we had to request the Pune police to send their dog squad.”

“Taking serious cognisance of the incident, we inquired with the trainers and found that the dogs were trained by some others handlers. Therefore, in case of emergency, the dog squad will not be of any use. We have decided to send both the dogs and their handlers for a refresher course,” he added.

The course will help them in improving coordination and understanding. Kumar said, “At present, the RPF has a functioning where after a certain period, the dogs are at one station while their handlers are placed somewhere else. But now, we are trying to keep both them together at every station. This will eventually translate into better coordination.”