In a breakthrough for investigators, a seven-year-old Labrador named Mary from the Uttar Pradesh Police K-9 unit helped solve the alleged sexual assault of a six-year-old girl in Sambhal district. The incident occurred on June 19 in the Babrala area, where the girl was found by her mother in a distressed condition and was unable to explain what had happened.
Lack of Evidence Hinders Initial Investigation
A police team arrived at the scene and began the investigation, but officials faced significant obstacles as there were no functional CCTV cameras in the area and no eyewitnesses to the incident. According to an Uttar Pradesh Police officer, forensic samples and some articles were collected from the spot, but initially there was no clear lead about the accused.
With conventional methods not yielding results, the police called in the district's dog squad. Mary, deployed with the K-9 unit, was brought to the spot.
Mary Tracks Scent to Suspect's House
The officer explained that Mary was given the scent trail, and she followed it through the nearby lanes before stopping at a house located a few hundred metres away from the scene. “Mary helped us reach the house of the accused. Her tracking ability proved crucial in the investigation,” the official said.
Based on the identification made with the help of the dog squad, police took further action against the accused, officials said. Mary was later rewarded with a cash prize of Rs 10,000 for her role in helping solve the case.
Importance of Police Dogs Highlighted
Officials noted that the incident highlighted the importance of trained police dogs in investigations, especially in cases where there is a lack of electronic evidence or eyewitness accounts. The K-9 unit continues to play a vital role in law enforcement across Uttar Pradesh.
