Dogs to dig out hidden mobiles in Punjab jails  

Express News Service

CHANDIGARH:  Prisoners who smuggle in cell phones inside jails now beware. Dogs of Belgian Malinois breed will likely be used to smell out hidden telephones within the prisons of Punjab.  Prison authorities within the US, Canada and European international locations deploy these specially-trained canines who can detect the hidden telephones with the odor of the batteries. In India, that is maybe the primary time that canines will dig out telephones in jail cells.

The Belgian Malinois canines are introduced
from the Netherlands & Poland | Express

Newton Sidhu, director of Punjab Home Guards Canine Training and Breeding Institute at Dera Bassi, advised this newspaper, “The Punjab prisons division is planning to purchase canines and deploy them in all of the jails throughout the state. On a trial foundation, we’ve got already deployed 4 canines at Ludhiana Central Jail and now we will likely be deploying them at Amritsar Central Jail.’’

The Belgian Malinois canines are imported from the Netherlands and Poland. “The inmates usually hide the phones underground beneath the concrete or other flooring in jails wrapped in empty milk or other plastic packets,” mentioned Sidhu.

It takes round 4 months to coach this breed to smell out the cell phones and prices Rs 3 lakh. “We have called trainers from the US to train these dogs. Our training methodology is a food reward programme which was developed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the US. Under this programme, the dog is given his food only when it finds something (article),” Sidhu mentioned.

He added that the Begian Malinois canines are enormous, aggressive and might work for lengthy hours — about eight hours — at a stretch. They come from chilly international locations however can regulate as per atmosphere. “The Assam Rifles are taking this breed from us for explosives detection and Kerela Police for finding narcotics and explosives. Sikkim, Manipur, J&K Police forces have also taken this breed for explosives detection,” he mentioned. Sidhu mentioned the Army, too is planning to purchase the Belgian Malinois pups from the institute and can prepare them itself.

2,600 mobiles seized in jails this 12 months thus far 
Nearly 2,600 cell phones have been recovered from varied jails of Punjab this 12 months thus far. The state jail division is learnt to have issued an advisory to superintendents asking them to conduct frequent searches, particularly in jails the place high-risk prisoners, gangsters and smugglers are lodged. They have been advised that they’d be held accountable if any incident of cellphone use inside jails involves gentle.

CHANDIGARH:  Prisoners who smuggle in cell phones inside jails now beware. Dogs of Belgian Malinois breed will likely be used to smell out hidden telephones within the prisons of Punjab.  Prison authorities within the US, Canada and European international locations deploy these specially-trained canines who can detect the hidden telephones with the odor of the batteries. In India, that is maybe the primary time that canines will dig out telephones in jail cells.

The Belgian Malinois canines are introduced
from the Netherlands & Poland | ExpressNewton Sidhu, director of Punjab Home Guards Canine Training and Breeding Institute at Dera Bassi, advised this newspaper, “The Punjab prisons division is planning to purchase canines and deploy them in all of the jails throughout the state. On a trial foundation, we’ve got already deployed 4 canines at Ludhiana Central Jail and now we will likely be deploying them at Amritsar Central Jail.’’

The Belgian Malinois canines are imported from the Netherlands and Poland. “The inmates usually hide the phones underground beneath the concrete or other flooring in jails wrapped in empty milk or other plastic packets,” mentioned Sidhu.

It takes round 4 months to coach this breed to smell out the cell phones and prices Rs 3 lakh. “We have called trainers from the US to train these dogs. Our training methodology is a food reward programme which was developed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the US. Under this programme, the dog is given his food only when it finds something (article),” Sidhu mentioned.

He added that the Begian Malinois canines are enormous, aggressive and might work for lengthy hours — about eight hours — at a stretch. They come from chilly international locations however can regulate as per atmosphere. “The Assam Rifles are taking this breed from us for explosives detection and Kerela Police for finding narcotics and explosives. Sikkim, Manipur, J&K Police forces have also taken this breed for explosives detection,” he mentioned. Sidhu mentioned the Army, too is planning to purchase the Belgian Malinois pups from the institute and can prepare them itself.

2,600 mobiles seized in jails this 12 months thus far 
Nearly 2,600 cell phones have been recovered from varied jails of Punjab this 12 months thus far. The state jail division is learnt to have issued an advisory to superintendents asking them to conduct frequent searches, particularly in jails the place high-risk prisoners, gangsters and smugglers are lodged. They have been advised that they’d be held accountable if any incident of cellphone use inside jails involves gentle.