Love Knows No Bounds, Or Does It?
BSF’s dog love story and birth of pups in Meghalaya ends up in a probe
The story of Lalcy’s romance is straight out of a Bollywood movie where the girl breaks free from the shackles around her to romance her heartthrob. It matters little to her even if the charmer is a roadside Romeo and is unwanted in her high security environment. The only difference is Lalcy is a sniffer female dog of the 43rd Battalion of the Border Security Force (BSF) who gave the slip to her handlers and mated with a local canine which has eventually led to the birth of three pups on December 5.
This love story unfolded in the BSF’s border outpost in Baghmara in South Garo Hills district of Meghalaya. On discovering Lalcy’s pregnancy, the BSF outpost realized that the canine’s dogged affair has landed them in serious problems. The Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) does not allow any canine with the force to keep any sort of alliance, leave alone love making with outsiders. The onus is on the handler to ensure that all canines are kept confined to their own environment and follow laid down procedures.
Now, as Lalcy is part of a high security drill which involves patrolling and security duties along the international borders which India shares with Bangladesh. Therefore, any association with any other canine outside is a serious breach of security norms and duty. An investigation called the summary court of inquiry (SCOI) has been instituted under a deputy commandant, the report of which is expected soon. The investigation order was issued on December 23 by the 170 Battalion of BSF station at Tura, the headquarter of the West Garo Hills district in Meghalaya.
But even as the inquiry is underway, several questions are being asked from whether the father of Lalcy’s pups could be from the other side literally meaning from Bangladesh. BSF officials maintain that “it was a local dog,” which floored their sniffer canine, but till such time the investigation is over nothing can be said. After all the border is highly porous in many areas and love knows no borders.
Surely, it’s not Lalcy’ fault for following her heart’s calling to spend some romantic moments with her partner. So, will the axe fall on the handler? “We will wait for the report of the inquiry first,” said BSF senior officer Nandish Kunwar, The BSF officer however made no bones of the fact that the sole responsibility of the dog lies with the handler and that “he missed it.”
All dogs have a handler who are completely responsible for the dogs starting with the health of the canines, operational drills and also requirement for mating. Only with proper recommendation from the veterinary wing of the force dogs belonging to the force, which are considered as “assets,” like all other animals are allowed to have courtship with another dog and that too within canines that are reared and kept within the force.
For the dog, there is some relief as her services won’t be terminated. “She will continue to be part of the force and its operations,” said a BSF official. However, her puppies will be handed over to people who may want to raise the puppies.
