Amidst Idukki landslide debris, 2 dogs search for their ‘best friends’

The four dogs have been a constant presence at Rajamalai in Kerala’s Idukki district, the site of a landslide that has claimed at least 45 lives. Two have been there for three days now, ever since the landslide on Friday. Local breeds, they are searching for their humans.

This is the story of four dogs, and while, like all dog stories, it is about love, devotion, and duty, it isn’t a happy one.

The dogs are seen at the landslide spot in Rajamalai of Kerala’s Idukki district where at least 45 people have died and 28 are still missing (HT Photo)

The four dogs have been a constant presence at Rajamalai in Kerala’s Idukki district, the site of a landslide that has claimed at least 45 lives. Two have been there for three days now, ever since the landslide on Friday. Local breeds, they are searching for their humans.

Some rescue workers tried to offer them food, but they seem to have no interest in that. Finally, some locals coaxed them into eating a few bites, said Muniyandi, a plantation worker who has been at the site of the landslide since Saturday.

In the early hours of Friday, a portion of the Pettimalai hills, near the hill-station Munnar, caved in, razing at least 30 houses of poor plantation workers, claiming at least 45 lives. At least 28, including the humans of the two dogs, are still missing.

“The pets’ plight has moved everyone. Whenever a body is extricated, they rush to the spot . Then they return to the shade under the rocks, waiting for the next,” said MJ Babu, a senior journalist from Munnar.

Also on the site is Maya, a Belgian Malinois from Kerala Police who has helped discover at least six bodies under the rubble, and her colleague, Dona, a Labrador Retriever whose speciality is finding survivors (unfortunately, Dona has had little luck so far).

Maya is still in training but has surprised even her handler P Prabhat.

Kerala’s director general of police Lokanth Behra, who had a brief stint with the National Investigation Agency before joining the post, said the canine squad has 150 trained dogs that are specialists in sniffing out bodies, explosives, gold and so on.

“ Maya has done wonders on her first assignment itself and she will be rewarded properly,” said the state police chief.