Labrador pup Rambo to help Navi Mumbai police in detecting explosives

Navi Mumbai acquires two-month-old Labrador pup Rambo for its Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad; it will be trained for detecting explosives in the city

A post by Bipin Kumar Singh, Commissioner of Police (Navi Mumbai) on his Twitter handle @bksinghips received 200-odd likes in a matter of hours. The reason for this adulation was the picture of a two-month-old golden skin Labrador perched playfully atop a coffee table along with the officer.

Rambo, the two-month-old Labrador that has been recently acquired by the Navi Mumbai police’s Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad, with its handle at Navi Mumbai Police Headquarters in Kalamboli on Tuesday. (BACHCHAN KUMAR/HT PHOTO)

Singh introduced the Labrador, Rambo, as the latest addition to the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) of Navi Mumbai.

Born in Nashik, the soon-to-be-three-month-old Rambo is to be trained for detecting explosives in the city.

“We have got him recently and he will undergo extensive training to be the best sniffer dog of our squad. The bomb squad department always has at least two sniffer dogs to assist in detection of explosives. Rambo will be of immense help to the department after his training,” said Singh.

Rambo is now enjoying a luxurious life at the Kalamboli police headquarters. He has a special air-conditioned room allocated with two dog handlers attending to his daily requirements round the clock in shifts.

The BDDS currently has two sniffer dogs, both Labrador, named Jack (5 years) and Zimba (8 years). In 2021, another sniffer dog, 10-year-old Bruno, was retired by the department and now resides in a farmhouse in Ulwe. Bruno was instrumental in detecting two bombs kept within a box atop a handcart in Kalamboli in 2019.

The newly-inducted member, Rambo, also a Jawan for the department, is now to undergo training in four months. By the time Zimba retires, Rambo would be well-trained in detecting explosives.

“Sniffer dogs undergo training only after they turn six months old. Therefore, for Rambo, there is still some time. There are three training centres for dogs situated in Pune, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The CID office, Pune, will select one of these centres wherein Rambo will be transported for training ,” said Rupali Ambure, DCP, special branch.

Rambo’s selection was also done following a special protocol. “We have expert officials to select the appropriate dog required for the task. Rambo was purchased on July 7 for ₹27,500 from Kharghar after following the process of calling for tender quotations,” said Santosh Kane, the senior police inspector, BDDS.