Probe after mid-day’s report reveals police dog Shaina’s death from jaundice was owing to ‘negligence’
The post mortem report of Shaina, the police labrador, stated that she died of jaundice
The investigation into the case of four-year-old Shaina, a Labrador posted with the Anti-Narcotics Cell of the Crime Branch, has found her two handlers were negligent, leading to the canine’s death. They have been transferred from the Crime Branch to the local arms unit and their promotion from hawaldar to constable on December 31 was withdrawn by senior police officers. MID-DAY had reported the police dog’s death on October 17 in Autopsy to offer clues into Shaina’s death, on October 20.
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According to sources, Hawaldars Bhagyesh Kumbhar and Ganesh More were posted with the Crime Branch Anti-Narcotics Department as handlers of Shaina, for the past four years. The probe revealed that even after knowing Shaina was ill, the two did not get her treated on time due to which her health deteriorated and she died at the government veterinary hospital in October last year.
Top officers of the Mumbai police refused to say anything on record in the matter. “A handler should know immediately if the dog in his/her charge has a fever. Despite knowing Shaina was ill, she was not treated on time, due to which her health deteriorated and she died,” said an officer from the Crime Branch. “They have been found guilty of negligence and have been sent to other departments. Shaina died of jaundice, the post mortem shows. It is up to senior officers on whether an FIR—related to animal cruelty—should be filed in the case,” he added.
Vijay Kishore Mohanani from the NGO Bombay Animal Rights (BAR), said, “It is tragic and shocking to hear of such negligence resulting in a four-year-old dog’s death. A handler is solely responsible for an animal’s care and health, and any negligence must be dealt with strictly. The authorities need to take all these lapses more seriously. The animal welfare fraternity has been repeatedly pleading for stricter laws. The government of Maharashtra should take an initiative and set an example for our country.”
The case
Shaina, a black Labrador, was a sniffer dog posted with the Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) of the Mumbai Crime Branch. The canine was trained for six months at Seema Suraksha Bal Centre in Alwar (Border Security Force), Rajasthan, and thereafter commissioned into the ANC in October 2018.
According to sources in the police department, Shaina had been unwell, however; she was taken to the veterinary hospital only when her health deteriorated. She vomited blood and collapsed. She was treated by other doctors before she was rushed to the government veterinary hospital. It has been said there was a delay in taking the canine to the hospital.
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