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Died – 7/31/21
Handler – handler K Kothandam
Police dog with many medals laid to rest with 21-gun salute
Ajay, a German Shepherd who served the Kancheepuram police for nearly a decade, was laid to rest on Tuesday. Senior police officers paid moving tributes and placed wreats on the coffin of the iconic canine after a 21-gun salute. He passed away on Saturday due to an ailment. One of the oldest members of the dog squad, Ajay was inducted into the force on August 25, 2012, when just three months. After basic training, he was sent to Chennai for six months training and obtained a certificate. A specialist tracker, he was involved in the investigation in nearly 245 cases including murder, house breakins and robbery scenes and helped with vital clues in at least 12 cases. Recently, Ajay picked up the trail of a killer at Salavakkam, sniffing the blood stains at the spot and uncannily reaching the suspect’s house nearly a kilometre away. The following police team then easily subdued the shocked murderer. In several other cases, Ajay managed to trace the routes through which the accused escaped, indirectly helping police crack the crime using CCTV camera footage along the routes. Ajay was going strong when the illness came on suddenly. Just a few days of showing symptoms, he was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer. His platelet count went down on July 28 and he was sent for treatment to Chennai where he breathed his last on July 31.Through his nearly 10-year-old career, handler K Kothandam, a head constable, helped him become a specialised tracker. A recipient of several medals at various police meets, several officers remembered Ajay as one of the most obedient members of the dog squad. “A true warrior to the very end, he will be missed. He will be remembered for his dedicated and selfless service. Dogs that die will be treated on a par with police martyrs,” said Kancheepuram superintendent SP Dr M Sudhakar.
