The investigation into a heinous sexual assault on a six-year-old girl had nearly come to a standstill due to lack of evidence. There were no working CCTV cameras at the scene, and no eyewitnesses either. But at this critical juncture of the probe, police found their most reliable ally in a 7-year-old Labrador.
The incident occurred on June 19 in the Babrala area of Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district. Family members rescued the girl in a sick and terrified condition. But the child could not clearly state what had happened.
After launching the investigation, police collected various samples and materials. Yet investigators were unable to trace the accused. With no CCTV footage or eyewitnesses, moving the probe forward became increasingly difficult.
In this situation, the district police’s dog squad was called in. ‘Mary’, a 7-year-old Labrador, was brought to the scene. After being given a gamcha recovered from the spot to sniff, Mary began her search.
After passing through several lanes of the village, the dog stopped in front of a house some distance away. Following that lead, police advanced the investigation. The subsequent inquiry brought to light the name of a man named Sandeep, and the direction of the probe changed completely.
Police launched an operation to find the accused. During a search on the night of June 22, Sandeep opened fire on the police team while trying to escape. In retaliation, police also fired, injuring the accused Sandeep. A police constable was also injured in the exchange.
Meanwhile, for playing a crucial role in investigating this complex case, Superintendent of Police Krishna Kumar Bishnoi awarded Mary a reward of ₹10,000. Notably, Mary had also won a gold medal during training. She has been serving in Sambhal district since 2019.
Mary has previously played a significant role in investigating several serious crimes, including murder and theft.
