Himachal raised India's first police dog squad, says new book

The first police dog squad in India was raised in Himachal Pradesh in 1957, says a coffee-table book released on Saturday by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.

And 'Hero' was the first dog imported from overseas for the purpose for $250, it says.

The book, 'Himachal Pradesh Police: Guardians of the Hills', has been published by the state police and authored by Inspector General Zahur Haider Zaidi.

"Our dog squad owes its existence to Raja Bajrang Bahadur Singh Bhadri, the first Lieutenant Governor of the state, who was an ardent lover of the dogs and helped set up a police dog squad in Shimla in 1957," says the book.

A dog squad parade was also conducted here in 1959, according to the book.

The book covers the traditions and achievements of the Himachal Pradesh Police in maintaining law and order, controlling crime, and ensuring the safety and security of the visitors to the state.