Special canine squad chips in to secure Modi's swearing-in venue

New Delhi, May 25 (PTI) The elaborate security arrangement at Rashtrapati Bhavan for hosting Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi's swearing-in tomorrow will also see a 'crack' unit of infantry trained-canines deployed for conducting anti- sabotage checks and sanitising the venue.

Modi's swearing-in venueUnion Home Ministry, which is coordinating the security plan with various agencies for the VVIP-event tomorrow evening on the President's Estate, has called in a specially-trained squad of ITBP dogs to secure and sanitise Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Officials said that MHA had asked for the elite 'K9' dogs of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, who have earlier secured the CWG games venues and been part of infantry patrols in Naxal-affected areas and insurgency-prone operational theatres in the country.

ITBP, the paramilitary force entrusted with the security of the Indo-China border, is credited with being a 'centre of excellence' for training of combat, police and paramilitary dogs.

"A crack squad of specially-chosen dogs has been sent in to assist security agencies planning the ceremony tomorrow. The squad comprises trained Labradors and German Shepherds and they will only be used to sanitise the 'hold area' (venue of the ceremony)," said sources privy to the development.

About a dozen dogs have been pressed into service from today along with their handlers and they will conduct their task till tomorrow, they said.

The chosen canines have earlier proved their mettle in a number of difficult tasks, sources added.

ITBP is credited with having successfully introduced the first-ever breed of 'Malinois' dogs to assist troops during patrolling in naxalite-affected areas.

The force trains its dogs at its special and exclusive 'K9' centre at Bhanu in Chandigarh.