Ram Shankar Katheria's dog Kalu, a black labrador, had gone missing.
Highlights
- Former minister Ram Shankar Katheria lost his dog Kalu
- His wife demanded that the police trace it
- She cited Azam Khan's lost buffaloes, which the police had traced
It is a force terribly short on manpower that has to police a complex large state. But since the Uttar Pradesh police succeeded once in the past, it was asked to use its "expertise" yet again.
Controversial former junior minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's council, Ram Shankar Katheria, had lost someone dear to him -- his black Labrador dog Kalu -- on August 9.
The family launched a private hunt. But after three days, when Kalu couldn't be found, Mr Katheria's wife stormed into Agra's Hariparvat police station and filed a "missing dog complaint".
While the policemen on duty tried to decide how to respond, Mrs Mridula Katheria, who had brought a posse of local media persons with her, announced, " If the Uttar Pradesh police can track down Samajwadi Party minister Azam Khan's buffaloes, why not our dog?"
The force had triggered much controversy in February 2014 after they deputed scores of policemen and sniffer dogs for what was dubbed the VIP buffalo search.
According to Mr Katheria's complaint, around 6 am on Tuesday, the dog went missing and they suspect someone may have taken him away.
Feeling that the men in khaki were wanting in concern, the former minister's wife went to meet a senior officer -- Sushil Dhule.
And this time too, she reportedly referred to Azam Khan's missing buffaloes.
Realising the sensitivity of the case, the police registered a "missing dog complaint". They formed no SWAT teams, but a few men were given orders to look around.
A senior police officer explained, "Mr Katheria is a BJP man and we feared the missing dog may lead to a political crisis".
To search for a dog with a VVIP collar tag isn't easy. But while the police were wondering how to keep their animal recovery reputation intact, Kalu was found. Not by the police, but Mr Katheria's personal search teams.
The file at the Hariparvat police station has been shut.
The Agra police and the state police headquarters are relieved. But they know their success in bovine search has set a bad precedent.