Works for hours without rest; Cadaver dogs play crucial role in Thrissur fireworks tragedy

THRISSUR: Cadaver dogs Maya, Murphy, and Angel carried out an intense and tireless search for human remains in the Mundathikode fireworks disaster. These dogs, which joined the police force in March 2020, belong to the Belgian Malinois breed. They are part of a group of 35 dogs trained in two batches. Notably, these three are the only cadaver dogs of their kind in the country.

They have previously helped recover bodies in major cases, including the Elanthoor human sacrifice case and the Chooralmala landslide. The dogs are specially trained to detect bodies buried underground. They can locate human remains buried up to a depth of 40 feet. Even highly decomposed bodies can be identified by them.

Maya (also known as Lilly) and Murphy were trained at the Kerala Police Academy in Thrissur. They are capable of working for hours without rest during search operations. These dogs have played key roles in several rescue missions, including the Pettimudi disaster, the Kokkayar landslide, and the tunnel accident in Nagarkurnool in Telangana. They help in solving crimes by detecting body parts, tissues, blood, and bones through their strong sense of smell. The first cadaver dog was “Pearl,” trained in New York, USA, in 1974.