Meet Delhi Police’s most reliable sleuths, Babu and Babe
NEWDELHI: Every time Delhi reports a heinous crime or is host to a VVIP event, Babu and Babe are Delhi Police’s most reliable investigators. Babu, a five-year-old Labrador retriever is the country’s best tracking canine, while his sister Babe is among the best explosives detector canines in the country.
Babu won the gold medal at the All India Police Duty Meet 2018 among tracking dogs while Babe grabbed the bronze medal in explosives detection. Babu’s photograph was widely shared on social media after he took part in the 72nd Raising Day Parade of the Delhi Police Saturday.
“These two are the best we have. Babu’s job is to track killers and suspects of heinous crimes while Babe is the best when its comes to tracing explosives and sanitising VIP areas before a major event. While Babu visits the most grievous crime spots, his sister is busy throughout the Republic Day, securing premises. She leads the dog squad that sanitises routes for the Prime Minister, the President and other dignitaries,” sub-inspector Dharam Veer, in-charge of the Delhi Police dog squad, said.
Born on April 27, 2014, the duo came to Delhi Police in 2016 from Meerut Cantonment, after completing their training at the Border Security Force’s National Training Centre for dog in Tekanpur, Madhya Pradesh.
“They were sent for training when they were six months old. Babu’s training lasted for 36 weeks while
Babe was trained for 24 weeks to sniff out narcotics and explosives. They also have monthly tests and midterm examination which they have to pass before they are deployed as police canines,” their handler, head constable Vishal Singh, said.
Babe can sniff out suspicious substances buried even one foot underground. Babu can track a suspect up to a distance of three kilometres, Singh said.
For the brother-sister duo, who live at Delhi Police’s Model Town dog kennel with 18 other dogs, day begins at 6am. “They are taken for a walk. They have a three-hour training, followed by parade practice and a grooming session. At the end of the session, around 9.30am, they are given their breakfast — milk and chapattis. In the evening, they again undergo the same drill before being served dinner — mostly daliya and mutton— at 5.30pm,” Singh said.
Singh said they have also started training Babe for the All India Police Duty Meet 2019. However, Babu, being a gold medal winner, cannot participate for the next two years to give others a chance.