CIAL sets up first dog squad at an airport in Kerala

Kochi, Jun 27 (UNI) In a major step to beef up security operations at the Nedumbaserry International Airport near here, the bomb disposal squad at the airport has got its own sniffer dog squad, the first one for an airport in Kerala.

''This is a major milestone for the Cochin International Airport Ltd. in beefing up its security arrangements. This is the first dog squad set up at an airport in Kerala and the first in the country to have dogs trained by the army,'' Aiport Director A C K Nair told UNI here today.

Two three-year-old female Labradors 'Rambhi' and 'Paro' were formally inducted into the bomb disposal squad at the airport yesterday.

The dogs, which were bought by CIAL from the Army for Rs 1.25 lakh each, can identify a variety of explosives including RDX, plastic and liquid explosives and sheet explosives, Mr Nair said.

Two more Labrador pups have been bought by CIAL and sent for training to a special dog training centre of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) at Haryana. These dogs are expected to be inducted into the bomb disposal squad by the end of this year, Mr Nair said.

Besides being pressed into service during bomb threat calls, the dogs would be put on a regular drill to check baggage. The dog squad would be handled by the five-member bomb disposal squad of the CISF posted at the airport.

Earlier, in case of bomb threats, the airport authorities had to depend on dog squads of other security agencies and this entailed long delays.

The CIAL has constructed air conditioned kennels at a cost of Rs 20 lakh at the airport to house the dogs.

UNI