Sniffer dogs to check drugs in Faridkot jail

Faridkot, December 21

To guard the Central Jail here against the supply of drugs and mobile phones, the police and jail authorities in Faridkot on Wednesday deployed sniffer dogs.

“These specially trained non-aggressive sniffer dogs will help us in identifying visitors with illegal drugs or contrabands entering the jail,” said an official. After their training, dogs can would also be able to detect mobile phones by smelling lithium in the devices’ rechargeable batteries.

The jail authorities said other than the inmates, visitors were also against the use of such dogs. Some of them opposes the checking by dogs, claiming they had cynophobia (pathological fear or loathing of dogs).

“The sniffer dogs are non-aggressive and they work in conjunction with a handler. They walk through security checkpoints sniffing the air around visitors or inmates and their luggage,” said a senior jail official.

The efficiency and passive role of dogs in security means that most visitors won’t be affected by their presence. Jail authorities said every suspect coming to the jail after appearance before a court is screened. Despite all efforts, many inmates were successful in carrying prohibited items and over one hundred inmates are taken for court appearance every day and they need to be screened when being taken from jail to court and then brought back, said the authorities.