By Divanshu Malhotra
New Delhi [India], July 27 : As Independence Day approaches, security agencies, including the Delhi Police, are on high alert to ensure a safe and secure celebration. The Delhi Police Dog Squad plays a crucial role in this effort, with its trained dogs and handlers working 24 hours a day to detect explosives and narcotics.
Sub-Inspector Jitendra Dogra, in charge of the Delhi Police Dog Squad, said the dogs are now being trained to react silently when they detect explosives, as certain types of explosives can be triggered by loud sounds such as barking.
"Now, we train our dogs to sit calmly and indicate the presence of explosives through gestures, such as wagging their tail or looking at their handler."

The Delhi Police Dog Squad currently has 64 dogs--58 trained to detect explosives, 3 for narcotics detection, and 3 for tracking criminals. These dogs are deployed at various sensitive locations, including the Red Fort and Chandni Chowk area, to help maintain security during the Independence Day celebrations.
The 64 dogs belong to four different breeds: 22 Labradors, 17 Belgian Malinois, 16 German Shepherds and 9 Golden Retrievers. Around 40 per cent of the squad's dogs are female and the remaining 60 per cent are male.
The Delhi Police is also expanding its dog squad. A plan is underway to add 30 more dogs. In 2024, 13 dogs were already inducted. While some dogs come from the Army, many are purchased through private tenders. Last year, each dog cost around Rs 5 lakh.
The dog squad functions 24/7. Handlers and dogs are always on call to respond to alerts, check unattended bags, and sweep key locations. The dogs are also deployed at large public events throughout the year, such as Ram Lila, Janmashtami, and Eid.
There are 121 personnel in the squad, including 1 sub-inspector, 28 assistant sub-inspectors, 53 head constables, and 39 constables--all trained as dog handlers.
The main headquarters of the squad is in Model Town, with nine district units spread across East, Southwest, Dwarka, Northwest, Central, North, New Delhi and NortheastDelhi. Each unit has kennels equipped with air coolers and washrooms to ensure the comfort and well-being of the dogs.
Assistant Sub-Inspector Ashok Kumar, a dog handler with Delhi Police, said, "The dog has to be raised like a child; the behaviour of any dog depends on its mood, but we come to know if our dog has any problem or not. In the morning when we take it out of its kennel, it starts playing, which means it is happy; otherwise, we understand that its health is not good, after which we do its checkup. If needed, we take it to the hospital as well. Every day we train and practice with our dogs, clean them, and feed them, and if we get a call, we take them to the spot."