A sniffer dog of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on Tuesday was martyred when a pressure Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted by Maoists exploded in restive Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh, Bijapur Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mohit Garg informed here.
The incident occurred this morning during a search operation being carried out by a team of CRPF’s 229th battalion under Awapalli police station limits, he said.
As per preliminary information, when the patrolling party reached between Timmapur and Murdanda, the dog, named ‘Pluto’, sniffed the pressure IED which then suddenly exploded, killing the canine, Garg said.
The dog handler was not injured in the blast. ‘Pluto’, a German Shepherd breed dog, was recently inducted into the battalion in Bijapur, he further said.
Meanwhile, the CRPF has launched a search and combing operation in the region, the official added.