IDUKKI: As Arya returned home from Ukraine with her furry friend Saira, she was devastated to hear the death of Kachu, the dog raised by her family.

When she reached her house in Munnar at 1.30 am yesterday, Arya first searched for her nine-month-old dog Kachu. He was not in the cage. She thought it had gone somewhere outside. A neighbor informed her family of the death of a puppy last night after it was hit by a vehicle on the national highway near her house.

The puppy was bought by her father at Arya's insistence when she came on vacation last year. Arya named him Kachu. Kachu was always with Arya until she returned to Ukraine in September. Kachu used to expressed his love by wagging tail whenever Arya video called from Ukraine.

Knowing that Arya would arrive at Nedumbassery airport on Wednesday, her father Aldrin and mother Kochurani went to Ernakulam after caging Kachu. He entrusted the watchman of the estate to feed him. Arya and Saira had to stay in Kochi as they were already late. On Friday afternoon, Kachu jumped out of the cage while the watcher was feeding and was later killed in a road accident. Aldrin and his family hail from Vandiperiyar and live in the quarters of the Munnar Lockhart Estate. Aldrin is the field officer there.

Saira getting familiar with Munnar climate

Saira, which is a Husky, is happily running around in Munnar. Although it comes from the cold Ukraine, it is adapting to the climate here. Saira was given an antivirus injection yesterday. Saira was given to Arya, a second-year medical student in Kiev, three months ago by one of her senior students. Saira is now five months old.