Overview
- About six Belgian Malinois and Labradors have nearly completed training with an imported synthetic scent and will be commissioned shortly.
- Once commissioned, the dogs will be deployed to selected NDRF battalions across India’s 16-unit network to detect human remains in disaster zones.
- The program formally integrates recovery of deceased victims into NDRF operations, shifting beyond its traditional golden-hour life-saving mandate.
- Prior cadaver dogs used by state forces such as Kerala Police demonstrated mixed success rates influenced by weather, humidity and competing odours.
- Following deployment, the NDRF will evaluate the dogs’ effectiveness across varied terrains and climates to optimize future disaster response.