KOCHI: Colonel Bella may not be a police dog, but having received all necessary training from a professional trainer, she can claim to be one among them. When the four-year-old sets out for a 20,000km journey across 26 states, it makes one sit up and take notice. And when you realise that her mission is to create a drug-free India, you would wish to offer her a salute, too. Raghu P S, an officer with the Kalamassery police station, owns Bella and she has been his constant companion.
“She received all the training from a professional who had trained dogs for the Dubai police,” said Raghu. “She used to accompany me when I was posted at the Fort Kochi police station,” he said. “Chandra Babu, who is with the Crime Branch, is the mission’s coordinator. He is well-versed in eight languages,” said Raghu. The mission began on Thursday and the team will return by the mid-November.
“Our aim is to spread awareness about the growing drug menace in the country and convey anti-drug abuse messages to the public,” he said. Bella is the mission’s ambassador. Raghu said the mission is being carried out in association with Delhi-based Global Peace Foundation.
“Various programmes are being organised as a part of the mission in association with Narcotics Bureau and the NGOs in the states through which we will pass,” he said. The prime minister’s office is also backing it.
“Bella will wear jackets that have anti-drug abuse messages printed on them and interact with youngsters. Our car, too, has been painted with relevant messages,” said Raghu. We will attempt to set a Guinness record and also plant a coconut sapling, that has been germinated in Kochi, in Kashmir,” said Raghu. The team calls itself Global Sanchari. Their journey can be followed on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram pages by the same name.