Illustration: Susanta Das

Bhagalpur, Jan. 21: The employees of Katihar division of North-East Frontier Railway (NFR) and Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel bade farewell to a sub-inspector rank officer, popularly called “inspector sahib”. He retired after serving the railway security agencies for the past 10 years.

Though a sub-inspector rank officer retires at 60, this “inspector sahib” retired when he turned 12. Surprised? Don’t be. Twelve-year-old Star was a member of the canine force in NFR’s Katihar division.

Star served in the railway’s anti-explosive prevention squad (bomb squad) for 10 years. Katihar divisional railway manager B. Bhushan Patil said the railway authorities concerned had handed Star over to the Animal Welfare Society in Siliguri, Bengal, where he would enjoy his retirement.

“Star had the ability to immediately sniff out bombs and other suspicious objects. He contributed a lot to identify such objects here earlier,” said Rakesh, the senior commandant of RPF station, Katihar.

Star won’t be missed by only the railway personnel. He will be remembered by the residents of Katihar as well.

Ravinder Prasad, a resident of Katihar, said: “We knew Star well. He used to move around the platform, sniffing for any possible danger nearby. He was a friendly dog. There have been times I have gone to the station to see off my relatives and I have seen him going around the station getting pats from the officers in charge.”

Here’s wishing Star a happy retirement!

After Star’s retirement, Patil said, the Katihar railway division has three sniffer dogs — one has a deputy superintendent of police rank, one of inspector rank and the other of sub-inspector rank. While sub-inspector Mark is posted at Katihar, the rest are posted at New Jalpaiguri in Bengal. Mark now has the additional duty at Katihar and two RPF constables have been deployed with him. One is Mark’s bodyguard and the other, the master.

The RPF personnel are not only given the responsibility to take care of the canine officers but also to train them daily.

Sources said the NFR divisional headquarters at Maligaon, Assam, appoints the sniffer dogs. While only sniffer dogs like Star and Mark are posted at railway divisions like Katihar, Alipurduar, Rangiya and Tinsukia, tracker dogs are posted at places like Maligaon and others to zero in on thieves.

The sources added the railways purchase high-breed puppies that are sent to training institutes of Border Security Force at Dayabasti in New Delhi or Tanakpur in Uttar Pradesh, at the age of three to four months. The dogs, after completion of their training, are posted at different railway headquarters. “Just like security personnel, these canine officers are also provided with regular salary, free railway travelling pass, free medical facilities and other facilities. But all of them retire after 10 years of service,” a railway official said.

Rakesh said: “We have to take additional care of these officers. We have to be cautious in providing them food and protecting them from diseases.”