7-Year-Old Sniffer Dog Uses Victim's Scarf To Lead Police To Accused In Sambhal Child Rape Case

· Free Press Journal

Sambhal: With no CCTV footage, eyewitnesses or immediate forensic clues, a police sniffer dog helped Sambhal police track down the man accused of sexually assaulting a six-year-old girl, officials said.

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Mary, a seven-year-old Labrador, caught the scent from a scarf recovered near the crime scene and led police through narrow alleys to a house less than 300 metres away, Times Of India reported.

“We had no clue how to crack the case. We thought of giving Mary, a seven-year-old Labrador retriever, a chance to sniff that area,” Sambhal SP K K Bishnoi said, adding that she had previously assisted police in several difficult cases.

Mary was brought to the scene and given a scarf-like handkerchief recovered from the area to smell. Within minutes, the seven-year-old Labrador picked up a trail and began moving through the area's narrow lanes.

She guided the police team past a tea stall before stopping outside a house located less than 300 metres from where the child was found, officials said.

A police team raided the house, but the accused had fled by then. Police chased him through the area.

Accused tracked and arrested

According to the police, he opened fire when cornered. “In retaliatory action, he sustained a bullet injury and was subsequently overpowered and taken into custody,” Bishnoi said.

Investigators later conducted a scent identification parade at the police station, in which the dog was taken past several persons to confirm the trail. Police said Mary moved past others and sat beside the accused, which handlers treated as confirmation.

Subsequently, the accused confessed to his crime and was formally arrested and charged under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act.

Operation completed within 48 hours

The entire operation, from deployment of the dog at the scene to the arrest, was completed in under 48 hours.

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Cash reward

A cash reward of Rs 10,000 was announced for Mary, and officials said her handler had initiated a formal commendation. “Mary has been awarded Rs 10,000 for cracking the case,” Bishnoi told TOI.

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