Sniff star Diana with her handler at Tatanagar

Jamshedpur, June 20: Need to sniff out rebels? Seek expert help.

To bolster its security apparatus in the face of heightened Maoist activity in the region, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) in Chakradharpur division has decided to procure eight Doberman and Labrador pups.

A proposal on the same has been forwarded to its headquarters in Delhi.

Currently, the RPF has two sniffer dogs — one each at Bandamunda and Tatanagar. A Labrador at Bandamunda died recently, compounding problems for the authorities.

“Besides seeking approval to purchase four Doberman and four Labrador pups, we have also decided to keep Snowy and Alexander — the two Labradors training at Podanur, Chennai — in Chakradharpur. They were earlier meant for our Rourkela unit. The two will be back in a month,” RPF commandant C.B. Singh said.

He maintained that a bigger canine squad would help tackle the Maoist threat better. “Trained sniffers can detect explosives on tracks, inside trains and at stations. They are better than humans in this respect.”

The RPF has been facing security hassles in Tatanagar after Nidhi, the Doberman, retired in 2009.

Diana, the Labrador from Bandamunda, filled in for Nidhi soon. But she is only a temporary recruit who will have to be sent back to Bandamunda.

Officials said security of tracks between Tatanagar and Jharsuguda in Orissa was of utmost importance and sniffers in adequate numbers would be of great help.

Last year, the RPF had procured 15 pups for its various units, including Chakradharpur, Ranchi, Adra and Kharagpur.