CRPF Sniffer Dog Rolo Dies After 200 Bee Stings During Major Anti-Naxal Operation In Chhattisgarh

Bijapur: Rolo, a two-year-old female sniffer dog of the CRPF, was the only casualty suffered by the security forces during their biggest anti-Naxal operation at the Korgotalu hills as the four-legged soldier was attacked and stung around 200 times by a swarm of bees.

Officials told PTI that the canine was tasked with sniffing out explosives and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) during the mega 21-day operation that concluded on May 11. Rolo was killed in action on April 27, they said.

The CRPF DG has awarded a commendation medal to the dog posthumously.

The security forces led by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Chhattisgarh Police units have claimed to have killed 31 Maoists, a "deadly blow" to the armed cadres of the Naxalites.

A total of 18 troops were injured, including some who underwent leg amputation due to blast injuries, in this operation that the forces said was the "biggest coordinated" operation against the Maoists till date.

The Korgotalu hills lie on the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border (Bijapur and Mulugu districts of the two states respectively) and are home to wild animals, including bears, insects and bees, apart from water bodies and natural caves. The dense jungle makes them an ideal hideout for the Naxals.

Rolo, a Belgian Shepherd, was carrying out a search operation when the party was suddenly attacked by the swarm of bees on April 27, a senior CRPF official said.

Rolo's handlers covered it with a polythene sheet but the bees slipped inside and bit it. Due to intense pain and irritation, the dog went berserk and came out of the cover, making it vulnerable to more stings, the officials said.

The dog was stung around 200 times and fell unconscious. She was evacuated from the spot and emergency treatment was given to her by the handlers, the officials said.

However, Rolo succumbed to the pain on the way to a medical facility on April 27 and was declared brought dead by the veterinarians of the force.

The dog was deployed for anti-Naxal operations in Chhattisgarh in April last year after being trained at the CRPF canine training centre at Taralu near Bengaluru in Karnataka.

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